Conservative activist and social media personality Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University in the United States on Wednesday.

After more than a two-day manhunt, authorities arrested and named 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson as the suspect in Kirk’s shooting.

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While naming Robinson, authorities said a motive was unknown. Since then, however, politicians and posts on social media platforms have speculated about what might have driven Robinson to allegedly shoot Kirk.

Here is what we know so far about Robinson and potential motives:

Who shot Kirk – and was he a Republican or a Democrat?

On Friday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox named Robinson as the person suspected of fatally shooting Kirk.

Robinson is a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship programme at Dixie Technical College in St George, Utah.

State records from Utah showed that Robinson is a registered voter in the state, but he is not affiliated with any political party. He did not vote in the two most recent general elections when he was of voting age.

At the beginning of the hunt for Kirk’s shooter, Utah’s Department of Public Safety released grainy surveillance camera photos of a white man wearing Converse trainers, jeans, a long-sleeved black T-shirt with a US flag and eagle on it, and a black baseball cap with a triangle.

Robinson’s family: What do we know about their politics?

Robinson’s listed address is his parents’ home near St George, about a 3.5-hour drive from Utah Valley University. Robinson’s parents are both registered Republicans.

Other family members have spoken in news interviews about how the extended family too is Republican. On social media platforms, some of Robinson’s photos show him holding guns.

But in an affidavit filed by prosecutors against Robinson after his arrest, they said a family member had told them that he had “become more political in recent years”.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Robert Bohls described Robinson’s weapon as “a high-powered, bolt-action rifle”.

According to the affidavit filed by prosecutors against Robinson on Friday, investigators found a .30-06-calibre, bolt-action Mauser Model 98 rifle wrapped in a dark coloured towel allegedly discarded by Robinson.

What drove Robinson to shoot Kirk, according to prosecutors?

While prosecutors have not spelled out a motive for Robinson’s alleged act, their affidavit details conversations with the family member who referred to the suspect’s increasingly political turn and to Robinson’s flatmate.

According to the affidavit, one of Kirk’s family members told investigators that Robinson had visited for a family dinner before the shooting. While talking to another family member, Robinson had talked about his dislike for Kirk.

The other family member also echoed Robinson’s dislike, and both individuals said they did not like Kirk’s viewpoints. The family member also said Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate.

What has Utah’s governor said about Robinson’s possible motivations?

Cox, a Republican, told The Wall Street Journal that Robinson was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology“.

Cox referenced cryptic messages that prosecutors said were engraved on shell casings recovered with the rifle allegedly used in Kirk’s shooting.

According to the affidavit, one fired casing read: “Notices, bulges OWO what’s this?”

Three unfired shell casings also had messages. They read: “hey fascist! CATCH!” with an up arrow symbol, right arrow symbol and three down arrow symbols; a reference to an antifascist Italian folk song, “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!”; and “If you read This, you are GAY Lmao.”

Cox also referenced the sexual identity of Robinson’s flatmate and partner, who the governor said had been cooperating with investigators.

In an interview with CNN, Cox said Robinson’s roommate was transgender, “a male transitioning to female”, who was romantically involved with Robinson.

The Utah governor said that unlike the suspect’s family and flatmate, Robinson himself was “not cooperating” with the investigation.

What else do we know?

According to the affidavit, Robinson’s roommate revealed electronic messages that Robinson sent that could provide more clues about the suspected shooter’s motive.

In the messages, the sender, named “Tyler”, said he had left a rifle in a bush and had to retrieve it. “Tyler” also wrote that he wrapped the rifle in a towel. The messages also talk about engraving bullets.