Utah Gov. Cox warns against conspiracy theories, slams ‘ugly’ online reaction to Charlie Kirk assassination

Utah Governor Spencer Cox on Friday condemned the "ugly" and "dark" celebrations of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, noting that hundreds of leaders across party lines had reached out to him to express their sadness and disgust over the fatal shooting.

Cox — in an appearance on Fox News' 'Special Report' on Friday afternoon — discussed the ongoing investigation into Kirk's murder. The conservative activist was fatally shot during a campus event in Utah on Wednesday. Authorities have since arrested 33-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspected killer, who is believed to have acted alone, Cox said.

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"The investigation is ongoing," Cox said. "They're still following every lead. … But every piece of evidence we have so far makes it very clear that the assassin acted alone."

Utah Governor Spencer Cox speaks at a press conference regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Thursday, September 11, 2025.  (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)

Cox urged Americans to reject the cycle of political violence and noted that hundreds of Democratic officials had reached out to him to express their ‘true sadness’ and disgust at the attack. He also warned against conspiracy theories spreading online and called celebratory reactions to Kirk's death "so ugly and so dark."

"Those violent images that we saw are just terrible," Cox said. "We're not conditioned for that type of information. … We've lost too much of our humanity, and it happens in those dark corners of social media. … We just have to find a way to disconnect from that."

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The Utah governor, who had spoken with Kirk's family and described their grief as "devastating," said the suspected shooter's actions were motivated by hatred toward the Turning Point USA founder and his beliefs. 

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk debates with students during his American Comeback Tour stop at CSUN in Northridge, California, on March 6, 2025. ( BENJAMIN HANSON/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

"This is an assault on not just him, but on all of us," Cox said. "It is an insult on the very fabric of our country, of our democratic republic, of our ability to speak freely. And we cannot take that lightly."

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While the investigation remains ongoing, Cox said authorities believe the shooter carried the rifle onto the rooftop before the attack rather than assembling it there. After the shooting, Robinson allegedly tried to hide the weapon in the woods wrapped in a towel, where police recovered it later that evening.

The booking photos for Tyler Robinson, 22, the suspect in the Utah assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. (Utah Gov. Spencer Cox)

When asked about the video in which the suspect appeared to be walking with a limp, Cox said it was a "very distinct possibility" that the rifle had been concealed in his clothing. Evidence — including the round that struck Kirk — is still being processed, he said.

Cox also reaffirmed that Utah prosecutors will pursue the death penalty if Robinson is convicted, noting that he believes Kirk's family should be central in the legal process.

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"What I will also say is that we believe very strongly that the victims need to play a role in these conversations," he said. "I want to make sure that in these conversations it's not about me, it really is about the Kirk family — Erica, and their kids, and Charlie's parents, his sister — all of the family,"