A police mugshot shows Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the fatal shooting of U.S. conservative commentator Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah, U.S., in this photo released by the Utah Department of Public Safety on September 12, 2025. Utah Department of Public Safety/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
When right-media pundit Ben Shapiro made a Friday night, September 12 appearance on "Real Time," he assumed that Tyler Robinson — the suspect in MAGA activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk's fatal shooting — was motivated by Antifa/far-left ideology. But Maher, known for being a scathing critic of both the far-right MAGA movement and left-wing "woke" ideology, cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the shooter's possible motivations.
Similarly, the Daily Beast's David Gardner argues, in an op-ed published on September 13, that Robinson's background doesn't fit the profile of a standard Antifa activist.
"Tyler Robinson loved guns," Gardner explains. "His mother posted a picture of him posing with an M2 Browning 50-calibre machine gun. Photos of him and his brothers with every type of weapon littered social media. He went to gun shows with his parents and was given a gun kit for Christmas. He also liked gaming. And putting provocative comments online. Robinson lived with his parents, both registered Republicans, in a $600,000 house in a comfortable Utah suburb."
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Gardner continues, "At first glance, the 22-year-old looks to be the kind of young man who might attend a Charlie Kirk rally to offer his support. Maybe a Turning Point USA member. His father, Matt, is said to be an avid Trump supporter. Clearly, much will become clear about Robinson's motivations in the weeks and months to come as the authorities speak to those closest to him."
None of those things, Gardner stresses, fit the profile of a longtime Antifa activist.
"No rational person would shoot someone in cold blood from 200 yards, whatever their beliefs," Gardner argues. "But one thing does seem obvious: Robinson is not a central-casting, rabble-rousing, far-left activist. He sounds about as far as you can get from antifa. He drove a Dodge Challenger, for goodness' sake."
Gardner notes that "right now, America is riven in two, with outspoken MAGA supporters talking about going to war with Democrats over Kirk's death." But evidence, according to Gardner, indicates that Robinson was confused ideologically.
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"There are apparent contradictions," Gardner writes. "'Hey fascist! Catch!' was supposedly engraved on the side of some ammunition casing left with his abandoned rifle. On another, were scratched the words 'Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao,' referencing a popular Italian anti-fascist song. It is also the theme tune to the popular Netflix show 'Money Heist,' a Spanish TV series about a motley crew of robbers trying to carry out the perfect crime, which has altogether less sinister connotations. Gamers know it from 'Far Cry 6.'"
Gardner adds, "A third casing, found in the gun chamber, was engraved 'If you read this, you are gay LMAO.'"
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David Gardner's full Daily Beast op-ed is available at this link (subscription required).