【Text by Observer Net, Liu Bai】 Four days after the shooting of American right-wing figure Kirk, the motive of the shooter has become a focus of public debate. President Trump initially attributed the incident to "radical left-wing extremists," but it was later revealed that the shooter Robinson came from a MAGA family, sparking fierce arguments between the left and the right.

Utah Governor Cox, a Republican, said in an interview on September 14 that although the motive of the shooter Robinson is still unclear, he "clearly holds left-wing ideology," which is completely different from his family members. However, Cox did not provide detailed evidence, only stating that the information came from the shooter's family.

At the same time, investigators found that Robinson was living with a transgender lover, and it is unclear whether this is related to the motive for the crime.

"Deeply influenced by left-wing ideas"

Cox revealed during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" program that Robinson was arrested after a 33-hour manhunt and currently refuses to cooperate with the investigation.

The motive and political leanings of Robinson have sparked heated debates. Conservatives insist he is a "uncontrolled leftist," while liberals argue that Robinson was educated in a conservative environment.

Cox interviewed on NBC

Cox said that 22-year-old Robinson "is completely different from the conservative ideology of his family" and "clearly holds left-wing ideology," but he did not explain the basis for this judgment.

However, on the same day, he told CNN that the information about the shooter being "influenced by left-wing ideology" "comes from people around him, including his family and friends." He did not provide more details.

Cox said that Robinson was originally a "very normal young person," but after dropping out of Utah State University, he seemed to have developed "extremist tendencies," and spent a lot of time in the "dark corners of the internet."

"He obviously spent a lot of time playing games," Cox said on the show, "Friends confirmed that he often stayed in that dark online world, such as Reddit culture circles, and other various dark corners of the internet, and was deeply involved."

After the incident, police found an old powerful bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel in the woods near Utah Valley University, with one unfired shell casing and three bullets remaining inside.

Based on the engraving on the bullets, Robinson was deeply influenced by online culture.

The three unfired bullets found at the scene, one of which was engraved with "Hey, Fascist! Take this!" Cox said, "It's self-explanatory." Another had an upward arrow, a right arrow, and three downward arrows, which are control key indicators used in the game "Left 4 Dead 2" when performing attack actions.

In an interview published in The Wall Street Journal on the 13th, Cox also said: "We and the investigators are very clear that this person was deeply influenced by left-wing ideas." A source familiar with the investigation said that the information about Robinson's views came from conversations with his family.

The report said that American authorities, friends, and even his family are trying to figure out: How did Robinson go from being an excellent student to becoming a suspect in the murder of one of the most popular conservative youth leaders in America? Remember, he grew up in a region in southern Utah where Mormon influence is strong, and both of his parents are registered Republicans.

State voter records show that Robinson is registered as an independent voter and listed as "inactive," indicating that he did not vote in the last election.

Photo of Robinson on social media

Robinson's 69-year-old grandmother Debbie Robinson previously told The Daily Mail that most of her family are Trump supporters, "Most of us are Republicans, I don't know anyone who is a Democrat," so she was "very confused" about her grandson's arrest.

Residents of the community where the Robinson family lives expressed shock upon learning that the suspect in the Kirk attack was arrested in this quiet and Republican-leaning area of Utah.

"This is a very conservative place, very focused on family values," said 41-year-old Jesse Riley. He pointed out that the Mormon Church has a significant influence in the community.

"I find it hard to believe. You will have a different view of humanity... When this happens nearby, you think, wow, maybe I should pay more attention to my neighbors."

After the shooting, Trump blamed "radical leftists" and vowed in a speech at the White House to investigate "every person responsible for this act of violence."

In recent days, Trump condemned political violence against Republicans but did not mention attacks on Democrats, such as the case in June where a state legislator and his husband were killed, and another legislator and his wife were injured.

"In a relationship with a transgender person"

Cox also revealed on NBC's program that Robinson had been living with a lover, who was "deeply shocked" by the shooting and has been cooperating with the authorities' investigation.

Investigators believe that the lover had no prior knowledge of the shooting and "was in the process of transitioning from male to female." Cox said it is not yet clear if this is related to the suspect's motive.

He said, "We are trying to figure it out. I know everyone wants to know why and find the reason... I just want to be careful."

Cox also told CNN on the same day that the roommate of the suspect, who is both a romantic partner and a transgender person transitioning from male to female, is fully cooperating with the police investigation.

Cox interviewed on CNN

"I know everyone wants to know the exact cause of the incident and wants to find someone to blame. I completely understand this feeling, and I feel the same way. But I have to be cautious because I haven't read all the interviews yet, so we have to wait and see what results come next," he said.

According to Cox's previous statements at a press conference, among the three unfired bullets found at the scene, one was engraved with "If you're reading this, you're gay, lmao," which also originated from internet meme culture, where "lmao" is an abbreviation for "laugh my ass off" in English.

Axios news reported that six informed sources said that the investigators originally wanted to keep the transgender identity of the suspect's lover confidential, as the person "fully cooperated" with the police investigation, was "shocked" when talking about the shooting, and provided text messages sent by the suspect.

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that Kirk publicly opposed same-sex marriage and often cited his devout Christian beliefs regarding gender issues, arguing that marriage is "a union between a man and a woman," and opposed medical treatment for transgender individuals.

The New York Times did not verify the identity of the suspect's lover in its report, citing that the authorities stated the lover was not involved in the crime and was cooperating with the investigation.

This new information about the suspect's romantic relationship may lead to more questions about the motive and mindset of the shooter. The motive and mindset of the suspect are the focus of official investigations, as well as topics of intense speculation on social media and among public officials.

Cox said that authorities plan to announce charges against Robinson on local time on the 16th. The funeral for Kirk is scheduled to be held on Sunday (21st) at the state fairgrounds stadium in Phoenix, Arizona, with President Trump, Vice President Vance, cabinet members, and members of Congress expected to attend.

Robinson is currently detained in the Utah County Jail and is not eligible for bail, facing initial charges including aggravated murder, serious use of firearms, and obstruction of justice.

These charges are state-level felonies, with "aggravated murder" potentially carrying the death penalty.

"The United States is a powder keg ready to explode"

The New York Times mentioned that even before the assassination of the prominent right-wing activist Kirk, there were signs that a political crisis was approaching. The increasing polarization and the vulgarization of public discourse have made it almost impossible to reach consensus. Acts of violence against figures on both the left and the right have also begun to accumulate continuously.

On American social media, it is not difficult to see some left-wing netizens expressing joy at Kirk's death, implying that he deserved it. In the right-wing camp, the initial grief and shock quickly gave way to open calls for political retribution and retaliation. Some ominous statements claimed that the United States is on the brink of civil war or should enter into one.

Phoenix, USA: People mourn Charlie Kirk. Visual China

These intense reactions have alarmed experts, who warned that the tolerance of Americans for politically motivated attacks is rising at an alarming rate.

"We basically have become a country that is a powder keg waiting to explode," said Robert Pape, a political science professor at the University of Chicago. Since January 6, 2021, when Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol, he has regularly conducted surveys to measure public attitudes toward political violence.

"Since we started these studies four years ago, we have never seen the level of political radicalization and support for violence as high as now," Pape said.

In Pape's latest survey in May, nearly 39% of Democrats believed it was reasonable to use force to remove Trump from power; meanwhile, nearly a quarter of Republicans said it was justified for Trump to use the military to suppress protests opposing his agenda.

Ruth Braunstein, an associate professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University, who studies political violence and polarization, is very concerned. She described the killing of key figures in the right wing as possibly activating groups that have been waiting for similar catalysts.

She said, "The right wing has well-organized and trained groups, including militia organizations, which have basically been waiting for the moment to be called upon to defend what they believe is the nation."

She added, "As long as political leaders, such as the president and others, hint that it is the moment they need to take action, these groups will respond immediately."

"I think we are experiencing a cultural civil war," said Newt Gingrich, a former Republican House Speaker, in an interview last week. He fully supports Trump's efforts to change the status quo in America, but he also admits that these actions are shaking the ship of the nation.

"There are deep divisions on fundamental issues in life," he said, referring to partisan struggles.

"And the country has yet to find a solution. We thought the Obama and Biden eras brought huge pressure, and the left felt they endured great pressure under Trump. We don't know how everything will develop."

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