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By Peter Aitken
Politics Weekend Editor
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While speaking with The Wall Street Journal on Saturday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said he believes that alleged Charlie Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson had been "deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology" as investigators continue to seek a motive for the conservative activist's assassination.
Newsweek has reached out to Cox's office by email on Saturday afternoon outside of normal business hours for further comment and clarification. The FBI declined to comment.
Why It Matters
Initial assessments determined Robinson, 22, likely had a left-leaning political ideology due to the engravings on bullet casings found in the gun investigators believe was used to assassinate Kirk.
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One bullet bore the inscription "Hey Fascist! Catch!" followed by arrows that likely reference inputs to a command from the game Helldivers 2, which satirizes fascism, and another bullet bore the lyrics to the Italian anti-fascist anthem, "Bella Ciao."
President Donald Trump has made several statements since Wednesday blaming Kirk's death on the "radical left" and their rhetoric for whipping up violence within the country, including in a video statement posted to Truth Social.
What To Know
Speaking with the Journal, Cox said investigators had started to piece together a picture of Robinson's views from conversations with his family.
"It's very clear to us and to the investigators that this was a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology," the governor said providing no elaboration.
Debate continues online about Robinson's politics, especially following a comment from a family member who told officials that Robinson had "become more political in recent years."
Robinson's political registration lists him as "Unaffiliated" and his status as "Inactive," indicating he has not voted in the last two general elections, while both of Robinson's parents are registered as Republicans, according to public records reviewed by Newsweek.
During a press conference on Friday to announce Robinson's arrest, Cox said the suspect and a family member had discussed Kirk's imminent appearance at Utah Valley University (UVU).
While the bullet casings show left-wing, anti-fascist slogans, some believe the phrases are instead references to the Groypers, or followers of white nationalist personality Nick Fuentes.
Fuentes, however, has condemned the shooting and posted on X on Saturday that he is "being framed" for the murder "based on literally zero evidence."
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What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump in a video statement posted to Truth Social after Kirk's death: "For years those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today, and it must stop."
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, told reporters: "Enough of this. This is horrific, this [is] awful and the assassination of Charlie Kirk risks an uncorking of political chaos and violence that we cannot risk in America."
Far-right influencer and podcaster Nick Fuentes wrote on X on Saturday: "My followers and I are currently being framed for the murder of Charlie Kirk by the mainstream media based on literally zero evidence. After the Left gunned him down, they celebrated and justified it. They said I was next. Now they are blaming me. These people are pure evil."
In another X post, he wrote on Friday: "The Left is now shamelessly trying to blame the Right for the murder of Charlie Kirk which they have been openly celebrating & justifying for days. They have no charity, love, or humanity for any of us or our families. We must take power for our own survival. We win or we die."
Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch, wrote on X on Friday: "So after days of Republicans blaming and vilifying Democrats and trans people for Kirk's murder despite having no clue who the person was, we find out it's a white guy from a Republican family in Utah who loved guns."
What Happens Next?
Legal proceedings are expected to move forward now that a suspect is in custody in connection with Kirk's murder.
Update 9/13/25, 5:37 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include additional information.
Update 9/13/25, 4:47 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include additional information and comments.
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