The grandmother of Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer insists the FBI arrested the wrong man, calling her grandson “a shy, good kid” with no history of violence.
The grandmother of Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has broken her silence — insisting that the FBI “have the wrong man.”
Kirk, 30, was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, while attending an event at Utah Valley University. According to investigators, the gunman fired a single round from a rooftop near the campus before fleeing the scene.
Two days later, on September 12, the FBI confirmed Robinson’s arrest after receiving a tip from a family member. He is now facing federal charges and, if convicted, could face the death penalty.
Grandmother Defends Her Grandson
Robinson’s grandmother, Debbie Robinson, spoke with the Daily Mail, describing her grandson as a quiet, shy, and studious young man who has never shown violent tendencies.
“He has never, ever spoken about politics to me at all,” she said.
“He doesn’t hunt, he’s never liked guns, and I don’t believe he has ever even fired one.”
Debbie, 60, emphasized that much of her family are lifelong Republicans and supporters of Donald Trump, but described Tyler as someone who kept to himself. She insisted there is “no way” he could have carried out such a precise attack, especially with a bolt-action rifle.
“There’s just no way he could be that good of a shot,” she added. “He’s a wonderful child, very shy, and has never been in trouble. There’s absolutely no way he could be violent.”
Contradicting Reports
Despite his grandmother’s heartfelt defense, Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated that Robinson had previously expressed opposition to Kirk’s views and had become “more political” in recent months.
Still, Debbie Robinson maintains that the FBI “got it wrong,” though she also expressed sadness for Kirk’s grieving family:
“I am very sad for his wife and children. No one should have to go through this.”
Robinson was taken into custody around 11 PM local time on September 11 in southern Utah after being tracked from his Washington residence. Officials have not yet confirmed a motive behind the shooting.
