Jordan Brann, who attended Pine View High School in St. George, Utah, posted a now-deleted TikTok saying he recognized the suspect, Tyler Robinson, from their school years.
“I went to school with Tyler Robinson,” Brann said. “The best way I can describe him is a Reddit kid. If you were in high school around that time, you know those kinds of kids — that’s exactly what he was.”
Brann clarified in a second video that he was not friends with Robinson but saw him regularly over three years. “What he seemed like was the type of kid who spent a lot of time online. I wanted to make the video because I wanted to show what too much internet does to people.”
The video quickly went viral, amassing more than two million views in three days, sparking debate about how online culture influences young people.
“Too Much Time Online”
In his posts, Brann suggested the suspect’s heavy internet use may have shaped his beliefs. “This is what happens when you spend too much time online and all of a sudden your beliefs are all the way this way or all the way that way, and you do some dramatic stuff to please people that are not your friends,” he said.
Other classmates have described the suspect as a normal, quiet student who was involved in the auto mechanics club and band. He had good grades, was awarded a four-year scholarship to Utah State University, but only attended for one semester before dropping out. He later enrolled at Dixie Technical College, where he was a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at the time of the shooting.
Internet-Inspired Bullets
Authorities say ammunition linked to the suspect was engraved with internet memes and anti-fascist references. One casing reportedly read: “Notices bulge OWO, what’s this?” — a phrase used online to mock members of the furry community.
Another read: “Hey Fascists! Catch” alongside directional arrows that some believe referenced either the Iron Front or the video game Helldivers 2. Additional casings carried the words of the anti-fascist anthem “Bella Ciao” and another said: “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”
Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the details disturbing, noting the engravings highlight how much of the case is tied to internet culture.
The Shooting and Arrest
Kirk, 31, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10. He was rushed to the hospital but later died.
The suspect, 22, was arrested less than 34 hours later after his father recognized him in FBI-released surveillance images and urged him to turn himself in. He was taken into custody Thursday night near his home in southern Utah.
Authorities say he faces charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice. At a press conference, officials said he will face the death penalty if convicted.
At a press conference, Governor Cox announced the arrest with the words: “We got him.”