Gov. Spencer Cox shares new information about suspected Charlie Kirk shooter on ‘Meet the Press’

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Gov. Spencer Cox joined NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday to discuss details surrounding Charlie Kirk’s suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson.

“It is a dark time in our state’s history, in our nation’s history,” Cox said. “Our prayers and hearts go out to Erika, her children, and Charlie’s family.”

During the interview with NBC Journalist Kristen Welker, Cox said Robinson was not cooperating with police, but his family and friends were.

New information comes to light

Although Cox noted that more information would likely reach the public Tuesday when formal charges are filed, he disclosed that Robinson’s “roommate is a boyfriend who is transitioning from male to female.”

Cox said Robinson’s roommate did not have any knowledge, and “was shocked when they found out about it, when he found out about it.”

Cox also said that, “according to family and people that we’re interviewing, (Robinson) does come from a conservative family. But his ideology was very different than his family.”

“Everything that we know confirms that this is the person,” Cox said in reference to Robinson. “The why behind this, again we’re all drawing a lot of conclusions on how someone like this could be radicalized, and I think that those are important questions for us to ask and important questions for us to answer.”

Cox highlighted Robinson’s 4.0 GPA, his high ACT score, but noted Robinson dropped out of Utah State University after less than one semester. Cox said after leaving the university, Robinson moved to southern Utah.

“Clearly there was a lot of gaming going on,” Cox said, referencing “that deep, dark internet, the Reddit culture, and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep.”

In reference to the text inscribed on the bullet casings, Cox said he had no idea what they meant, but said, “they are certainly the memeification that is happening in our society today.”

Cox said that forensic information is “confirming everything and more than what we were able to share in that initial press conference,” which took place on Sept. 10 shortly after the shooting.

Cox speaks on political violence

Cox said “we have seen an escalation in violence that has been happening the country,” and compared it to “high-profile political assassinations” from the late 60s and early 70s.

“People keep waiting for, you know, somebody to lead us out of this,” Cox said on “Meet the Press,” “And I think that’s a mistake. I don’t think any one person, certainly not a governor, I don’t think a president, I don’t think anyone can change the trajectory of this. It truly is about every single one of us.”

Cox pointed to social media as a “cancer” that “get us addicted to outrage and get us to hate each other.”

“I believe that social media has played a direct role in every single assassination and assassination attempt we have seen over the last five, six years,” Cox said. “There is no question in my mind. Cancer probably isn’t a strong enough word.”

Since Charlie Kirk was killed, Cox said he has seen the effects in real time.

“We are losing our agency. And we have to take that back. We have to turn it off. We have to get back to community, caring about our neighbors, the things that make Americans great, serving each other, bettering ourselves, exercising, sleeping, all of those things that this takes away from us.”