Tyler Robinson, the suspect arrested in the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, is not cooperating with investigators, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday.
Robinson was taken into custody after a multi-day search by law enforcement, Cox told ABC’s This Week. Authorities have not disclosed all details of how Robinson was located, but multiple reports said a family member recognized him in surveillance images released by police and urged him to surrender. President Donald Trump, speaking on Fox and Friends, said someone close to Robinson had turned him in.
Cox said on NBC that Robinson “does come from a conservative family, but his ideology was very different than his family,” and that investigators have observed what he described as a “leftist ideology” in recent years. The governor added that Robinson had shown an interest in “Reddit culture and other dark places of the internet,” but Cox did not provide specific evidence tying those interests to the killing.
Asked about Robinson’s level of cooperation, Cox told CNN that the suspect initially answered questions but stopped speaking after retaining a lawyer. "He has not confessed to authorities. He is not cooperating, but all the people around him are cooperating," Cox said on ABC. Cox also told CNN that Robinson’s roommate and romantic partner, who is transgender and transitioning from male to female, has been cooperative with investigators and said they had no knowledge of any plan to harm Kirk. Cox declined to speculate publicly on whether that relationship was connected to a motive.
Investigators have said they are still searching for a motive in the killing of Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and a prominent right-wing commentator. Police have released limited information about evidence gathered and have not disclosed a timeline of events leading up to the shooting.
The arrest came after a days-long manhunt that followed the fatal shooting. CNN reported that law enforcement briefings indicated Robinson initially cooperated but later stopped talking once he retained legal counsel Friday morning. Local and federal authorities are involved in the investigation, officials said, but specific agencies and investigative steps have not been detailed in public statements.
Kirk’s death prompted an outpouring of reaction from conservative media figures and elected officials who called for a thorough investigation. Law enforcement has urged the public to avoid speculation while detectives pursue leads and interview witnesses.
Authorities have not released formal charging documents or a public statement outlining the evidence against Robinson. Prosecutors and police said key elements of the investigation remain active, and they declined on Sunday to provide new specifics about the timeline of events or forensic findings.
The investigation remains fluid and officials said additional details will be released as they are confirmed. This is a developing story.