Suspect in Charlie Kirk Shooting displayed Increasinglyโ Political Views, Authorities Say
PHOENIX, AZ – Authorities have arrested Brandon J. Robinson, 23, in connection with the shooting death of โฃCharlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, on Friday. Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced Robinson’s arrest at a press conference, detailing emerging information about the suspect’s background and potential motivations.
According to investigators, aโ family member reported that Robinson โ”had becomeโข more political โin recent years” and harbored dislike โfor Kirk, describing him as “full of โhate” and “spreading hate.” The โinvestigation remains ongoing โคas authorities continue to analyze evidence to โฃdetermine a definitive motive.
Law โenforcement recovered โa bolt-action rifle abandoned in a wooded โarea, along with ammunition bearing unusual markings. One bullet casing โfound with the rifle was engraved with the message, “Hey fascist! โCatch!” Othre casings contained references to internet memes and online chatroom culture, including phrases โlike โข”notices, bulges, OwO, what’sโค this?” andโ “Ifโ youโค read this, you are gay LMAO.” One casing was etched withโ lyrics from an Italian anti-fascism song originating from World โWar II.
Governor Cox stated that the “Hey fascist” marking “speaks for itself” regarding the gunman’s intent. โHowever, expertsโฃ caution against drawing premature conclusions about the motive.
Brian โขLevin,professor emeritusโ at Cal State san Bernardino and founder of its Centerโ for the Study of Hate,emphasized the complexity of understanding motivations in casesโ involving lone young assailants. “It is indeed increasingly difficult to โpromptly ascribe motivation asโ manyโฆare frequently enough a mix of grievance, mentalโข distress, and aggressions picked up in social circles and โonline,” โLevinโค said.โ He noted thatโฃ while online messagingโ can indicate symbolic intent, it can also be “amorphous or disjointed.”
Joan Donovan, an assistantโ professor of journalism at Boston University โspecializing in extremism, pointed to โขsimilarities with past mass shootersโ who utilized memesโ in their โขcommunications, such โคas the โค2019 Christchurch, New Zealand shooter. โขShe suggested theโ markingsโ on the casings may have been intended to communicate with other potential attackers rather than โconvey a โclear message to theโฃ public.
Donovan described the collection โof messages asโ a โค”hodgepodge” indicative of someone immersed in online “black pilled” circles โ- individuals expressing cynicism and disillusionment โwith โthe broader system. “Its both impostor and mocking at the same time,” โsheโ explained, adding that the engravings reflect a “nihilistic hubris.”
The investigation is ongoing, โฃand authorities continue to โขgather evidence. Los Angeles Times โคstaff writers Anita โขChabria and Jenny Jarvie contributed to this โฃreport.