Tyler Robinson’s family is in shock after his grandmother spoke out, saying the FBI must have the wrong man. Robinson is a 22-year-old student accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
A Shocking Arrest
After a day and a half of searching, Robinson was arrested late Thursday night in Washington, Utah. According to investigators, his father, Matt Robinson, saw him in security footage and told the police. The arrest shocked the whole country and Robinson’s 69-year-old grandmother, Debbie, who said her grandson was a “wonderful child” who couldn’t hurt anyone.
She told the Daily Mail, “My son, his dad, is a Republican for Trump.” “Most of my family are Republicans.” Tyler is the most shy person. He has never, ever talked to me about politics. “I’m just so confused.”
“He’s Just a Shy, Good Kid”
Debbie painted Robinson as a quiet young man who didn’t care about politics and was shy. She said she had never seen him with a weapon. “To be honest, I don’t think he ever shot a gun.” He doesn’t hunt because he has never liked anything like that. She was sure he couldn’t have been that good of a shot.
She stressed that her grandson had never had any mental health problems and said, “He has never, ever gotten in trouble in his life.” He definitely didn’t do that.
But investigators have pointed out a darker side: Discord messages about engraved bullets and a rifle “drop point,” as well as comments made at a family dinner where Robinson allegedly called Kirk “full of hate and spreading hate.”
A Split Family
Tyler’s dad, Matt Robinson, works in the family’s construction business. Reports also said that he had worked in law enforcement in the area. Amber, his mother, is also a registered Republican, according to public records. There are even pictures of Tyler dressed up as Donald Trump for Halloween in 2017.
Debbie says that politics had nothing to do with her grandson’s life, but officials say he had become more outspoken in the last few years. Governor Spencer Cox said that Robinson didn’t like Kirk’s visit to Utah Valley University at a dinner before the shooting.
Adding to the confusion, Robinson is seen on social media holding an M2 Browning machine gun, which goes against what his grandmother said about him never touching guns.
The Killing
While talking to students at UVU during his “American Comeback” event, 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck. The father of two fell to the ground on stage, and the audience went wild. He was taken to the hospital quickly, but he died soon after.
Later, investigators found a bolt-action rifle and strange casings with strange writing on them in the woods nearby:
The fired casing: “notices bulges OWO, what’s this?
A round that hasn’t been fired: “Hey, fascist!” “Catch!” with three down arrows, one up, and one right
Another round: “Oh bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao”
Last one: “If you read this, you’re gay, lmao.”
“Wrong Identity?”
Debbie Robinson thinks the pieces just don’t fit together. “I’ve seen that kid grow up, and I can’t believe it would ever be him.” And I’m not just saying that because I’m his grandma. She said, “It’s knowing him as I do,” which made her think it must be “mistaken identity or something.”
Investigators say the evidence points to a different story than what Tyler Robinson’s grandmother believes, even though there are bullet inscriptions, Discord chats, and a confession to his father that ties him to the crime.