Suspect in Charlie Kirk murder held ‘trans-oriented’ views – attorney

Prosecutors say the alleged assassin “started to lean more to the left” over the past year

The man charged with killing conservative American podcaster and activist Charlie Kirk had embraced left-wing and pro-LGBTQ ideology over the past year, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray has said.

Gray stated that he will seek the death penalty for Tyler Robinson, who was charged with aggravated murder on Tuesday. 

Kirk was killed by a sniper on September 10 while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Robinson was apprehended after a 33-hour manhunt.

Gray told reporters that the suspect’s mother said that over the past year, he had become “more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-gay and trans rights oriented.” He added that Robinson had begun dating his roommate, who was “transitioning genders.”

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According to prosecutors, Robinson left a note for his roommate saying, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”

Prosecutors released text messages between the suspect and his roommate in which Robinson allegedly admitted to killing Kirk. “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” he wrote, according to the transcript.

A co-founder of Turning Point USA and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, Kirk was widely credited with popularizing conservative ideas among young Americans and helping Trump secure a second term.