In another shocking reveal, reports have shown Tyler Robinson, the suspected shooter of Charlie Kirk, frequently referenced the conservative figure in Reddit posts and Discord channels. Screenshots from these mediums show Robinson engaging with memes, quotes and discussions tied to Kirk’s political rhetoric, hinting at an interest towards the late public speaker.
While there is no evidence of direct contact between the alleged shooter and Kirk himself, the surfaced material has ignited a debate over the influence of online political discourse. What’s more, Tyler Robinson apparently liked video games, which Utah governor Spencer Cox has cited as a gateway to his radical violent behaviour.
Utah Governor Cites Gaming as Reason For Kirk Murder
Speaking on Meet the Press, Utah governor Spencer Cox referenced inscriptions found on bullet casings at the scene.
It included a stratagem input from PlayStation’s fastest selling title within 12 weeks Helldivers 2, and a nod to “Bella Ciao,” a song connected to WWII resistance and featured in Hearts of Iron IV’s By Blood Alone DLC.
Cox admitted he didn’t understand the references, but tied them to gaming and online communities.
“Clearly, there was a lot of gaming going on, friends that have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, Reddit culture and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep,” Cox said.
The mix of gaming symbols, memes, and internet slang illustrated the way modern culture can blend entertainment with darker online undercurrents.
Games Are Symbols – Not Causes Of Violence
While investigators continue to piece together Robinson’s path to radicalization, experts duly note that gaming’s presence in the life of the shooter doesn’t necessarily make it the cause.
As Cox admitted himself, many of the references didn’t make much sense to him, meaning, that a lot of the lawmakers and people trying to figure out the reason behind this tragedy are perhaps quick to attribute gaming to a violent rhetoric.
What’s clear is that games like Helldivers or Halo aren’t and can’t ever be the root cause of radicalization, as much as it’s the easy “bad guy” in this scenario.
