The man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a Utah campus rally was in a romantic relationship with his transgender roommate, according to the state’s governor.
Tyler Robinson, 22, is set to appear in court on Tuesday after allegedly killing the 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder during a live event at Utah Valley University last Wednesday.
Robinson is being held without bail and faces several serious charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice.
Governor confirms suspect’s romantic relationship with transitioning roommate
Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed over the weekend that Robinson’s roommate was not just a housemate, but also his romantic partner — and is currently transitioning.
“The roommate was a romantic partner,” Cox told NBC’s Meet The Press on Sunday. “We can confirm that that roommate is a boyfriend who is transitioning from male to female.”
Cox added that the roommate has been “incredibly cooperative” with law enforcement and had “no idea that this [the shooting] was happening.” He also noted that Robinson himself has not cooperated with investigators.
Witness speaks out
Speaking to The Sun, Robinson's neighbour, a supposed witness to the romantic relationship, has reported what he saw two weeks before the shooting.
He confirmed that Robinson was seen "holding hands" with his partner before driving away in their car.
He also claims that he thought Robinson was "weird" and that he would have "tried to stop him" if he knew what was about to happen regarding the shooting.
Motive still unclear amid ongoing investigation
While Kirk had been widely known for his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, officials have not indicated whether Robinson’s relationship or his roommate’s gender identity are connected to the shooting in any way.
Authorities are continuing to dig into Robinson’s online history, and are reportedly working to gain access to his cloud storage accounts, NBC News reported.
Governor says suspect came from conservative home but held opposing views
Governor Cox previously said Robinson grew up in a conservative household, but his political beliefs stood in stark contrast to his upbringing.
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Cox said Robinson had been “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”
According to the governor, Robinson’s family said he was openly critical of Kirk. “He was full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox relayed from relatives, adding that Robinson “talked about why he didn't like him and the viewpoints that he had.”