Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) clashed with CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins during a televised interview over the motive behind the suspected killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Collins hosted Cruz on her program The Source and told the Texas senator, “We don’t have a motive yet. We don’t know yet, we’re waiting.”
Cruz pushed back immediately, replying, “Of course we know. Come on.”
The senator pressed further, repeating Collins’s words. “We don’t have a motive yet? We don’t have a motive yet? Really? He just happened to fire the gun in celebration?”
Cruz’s comment referenced an earlier remark made on MSNBC, where a guest speculated that initial gunfire reports might have been celebratory.
Collins reiterated that law enforcement “hasn’t laid out a direct motive. They’ve laid out a lot of evidence here of these messages.”
Cruz countered her statement. “Actually, they have. They’ve said that he was a left-wing activist who hated Charlie Kirk.”
Collins then responded, “Senator, with all due respect, you know exactly what I’m saying.”
“I’m not arguing with you politically, I’m saying that law enforcement has not put a specific motive,” she continued. “You know that there’s a difference.”
Authorities have identified the suspected shooter as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. According to investigators, Robinson held left-wing political views and expressed hostility toward Kirk.
Police documents detail a text message exchange between Robinson and his transgender-identifying roommate, with whom he was in a romantic relationship.
In one message, Robinson wrote that he had “enough of his hate,” a statement investigators interpreted as directed at Kirk.
Investigators also reported finding anti-fascist phrases etched onto bullet casings and ammunition recovered from the crime scene.
Robinson’s mother told authorities that her son had shifted politically in recent months.
She stated he had become more aligned with left-wing positions, particularly on pro-gay and pro-transgender issues.
Despite these findings, no formal motive has been announced by law enforcement in official statements.
Media outlets, however, have varied in their framing of Robinson’s political background and its connection to the attack.
A YouGov poll conducted Sept. 14 highlighted public uncertainty. According to the poll, 21 percent of respondents identified Robinson as a Democrat, while 24 percent believed he was a Republican.
The remaining majority of respondents either did not know or declined to identify Robinson with either political party.
WATCH:
Resist the Mainstream reported Thursday that federal authorities are investigating the founder of Armed Queers SLC, a pro-gun LGBTQ organization, over potential connections to Robinson.
Law enforcement sources confirmed that the group’s leader, Ermiya Fanaeian, is a trans-identifying political organizer with ties to communist activism.
Investigators are looking into whether Armed Queers SLC or Fanaeian had any role in aiding Robinson in the Sept. 10 sniper attack at Utah Valley University.
Armed Queers SLC notably erased its online presence shortly after Kirk’s assassination.
Archived posts show Fanaeian onstage with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) during a 2019 presidential campaign event in Salt Lake City.
