A U.S. flag and a candle sit on a step during a candlelight vigil and prayer event for Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 in Seattle. Kirk was shot dead while speaking at Utah Valley University earlier in the day.
David Ryder/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
David Ryder/Getty Images
On Friday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, announced authorities have a suspect in custody for the murder of far-right activist Charlie Kirk. Cox identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the alleged gunman who shot Kirk at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
According to Cox, a family friend told investigators that Robinson had “become more political in recent years,” and had recently expressed a dislike for Charlie Kirk. Beyond that, there are still a lot of questions still to be answered.
Still, in the long hours before his apprehension, speculation about the killer’s identity and motivations filled the void. President Trump blamed the “radical left” in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. But, as NPR domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro explain, political violence in America rarely follows left-right politics.
Instead, the data show an increase in political violence committed by people who have been influenced by a mix of different extremist ideologies. There have also been instances where people are committing violence just for the sake of violence.
Still, at a time of heightened partisanship, division and vitriol in the country, these acts of violence have frequently led to people projecting their own political beliefs onto the situation.
Listen to this conversation by tapping the play button above.