In the wake of Tyler Robinson’s arrest in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, one of Robinson’s former classmates has come forward, painting a picture of a student very different from the alleged shooter.
Speaking exclusively to TMZ Live on Friday, just hours after Robinson was apprehended, the anonymous classmate described Robinson as “a smart, goofy kid” during middle and high school.
“Honestly, I never would have imagined him doing something like this,” the classmate said. “He was always funny, knew all the memes, and wasn’t the type to get into politics or guns.”
The classmate emphasized that Robinson wasn’t isolated or withdrawn. “He wasn’t a loner by any means,” they explained. “He hung out with a bunch of people, joked around a lot. The only thing that really stood out was that he was very online—always up on trends, memes, stuff like that.”
Despite this, the classmate admitted they weren’t especially close to Robinson and hadn’t noticed anything that would hint at violent tendencies.
“Looking back now, there were no warning signs,” they said. “Nothing that made me think he could ever do something like this.”
Robinson was arrested Friday and booked on aggravated murder and weapons charges, two days after Kirk, the founder of the conservative nonprofit Turning Point, was shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Authorities revealed that Robinson’s father had tipped off a family friend, which led to the suspect’s identification and arrest.
According to officials, Robinson had reportedly become more politically vocal in recent weeks, even mentioning Kirk’s upcoming campus visit during a family dinner.
Bullet casings recovered at the scene reportedly contained messages such as, “Hey fascist, catch,” “Bella Ciao,” and “If you read this you’re gay, LMAO.”
Kirk, 31, is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two children.
Reflecting on the news, the former classmate added, “It’s just shocking. I remember him as this goofy, kind of nerdy kid. I can’t reconcile that with what he’s accused of now.”
