Although much remains unknown about Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old arrested in connection with the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in Orem, Utah, his grandmother made one thing clear, reported The Daily Beast: he comes from a heavily Republican and pro-Trump family.
"Although MAGA figureheads have been quick to point fingers at the left for Kirk’s death, Tyler’s grandmother, Debbie Robinson, 69, insisted that they come from a family of Trump supporters," reported Amber Lewis. "She spoke with Daily Mailon Friday after news of Robinson’s arrest broke. 'My son, his dad, is a Republican for Trump,' Debbie told the outlet. 'Most of my family members are Republican. I don’t know any single one who’s a Democrat.'"
Debbie added that she had no idea why her grandson would do such a thing: “I’m just so confused. He is the shyest person. He has never, ever spoke politics to me at all.”
However, The Guardian reported Friday that an anonymous high school friend claimed Robinson was the only left-leaning member of his family and frequently argued about politics.
This news follows reporting that Robinson apparently scratched a number of cryptic messages on his bullet casings, including internet memes, what appeared to be a reference to an Italian anti-fascist song, and a reference to a weapon from the video game "Helldivers 2."
A previous Wall Street Journal report mistakenly claimed that the "Helldivers 2" reference was actually a pro-transgender rights statement, but the outlet later retracted this amid widespread outcry.
The killing of Kirk, who was holding a political event at Utah Valley University at the time, has sent shockwaves through political circles, with politicians in both parties — including those who disagreed with him — mourning the tragedy, and a number of lawmakers looking to scale back outdoor events and beef up their own security spending.