Robinson allegedly shot Kirk on Wednesday while the Turning Point USA founder was speaking at Utah Valley University.
Since the assassination, Cox has shown leadership by speaking candidly about the situation.
“Investigators interviewed a family member of Robinson who stated that Robinson had become more political in recent years,” Cox said during the briefing, according to NBC News.
“The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10. In a conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned that Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU,” he continued.
Cox added, “They talked about why they didn’t like [Kirk] and the viewpoints he held.”
The governor promised that Robinson would be formally charged and held accountable for his actions.
But he also delivered a broader moral message that resonated beyond Utah.
For years, some on the left have promoted slogans like “words are violence” and “silence is violence.”
Cox pushed back against that rhetoric.
“I think we need more moral clarity right now,” he said. “I hear all the time that words are violence. Words are not violent. Violence is violence, and there was one person responsible for what happened here. That person is in custody, will be charged soon, and will be held accountable.”
Violence, Governor Cox emphasized, is a bullet tearing through a patriot’s body—not words spoken during a debate.
It is tragic that in 2025, a governor must remind the public of such an obvious truth.
Yet this is the environment the Democratic Party has helped create. To them, dissent is considered “violence,” and those who dissent are seen as deserving of retribution.
Their warped ideology played out this week, claiming the life of a 31-year-old visionary.
Americans must stand up to confront rhetoric that dehumanizes citizens, blurs moral boundaries, and radicalizes unstable individuals.
The Democratic Party has evolved into a death cult, and its violence is now spiraling out of control.
Kirk was the victim of murder, but his killer could have targeted any one of us who shares his conservative values. Kirk simply articulated those values more clearly than most—and for that, he was killed.
For years, conservatives have spoken out in good faith. Instead of engaging in dialogue, they have often been met with bloodshed.
We have been told that our words can harm people—that our speech amounts to “violence.”
Credit is due to Governor Cox for calling out this nonsense and setting the record straight.
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