OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
8:50 AM – Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Senator Ted Cruz decried CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins’ claim that authorities “don’t have a motive yet” for the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder and CEO Charlie Kirk.
On Tuesday evening, less than a week after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck at an event at Utah Valley University (UVU), Senator Cruz (R-Texas) appeared on CNN’s “The Source,” where 22-year-old alleged murderer Tyler Robinson’s motives came into question.
“We don’t have a motive yet. We don’t know yet. We’re waiting…” Collins said in regards to the assassination.
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“Of course, we know,” Cruz interjected. “Come on. We don’t have a motive yet? We don’t have a motive yet? Really, that’s CNN’s position? He just happened to fire the gun in celebration?”
The senator’s latter comment likely referenced what was said by MSNBC’s senior political analyst Matthew Dowd. Shortly after the deadly incident, Dowd said on air, “We don’t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration.”
Dowd was later fired from MSNBC for this and other comments about Kirk’s murder.
Collins insisted, however, that she meant that “law enforcement hasn’t laid out a direct motive,” despite releasing plenty of evidence.
“Actually, they have,” Cruz shot back at Collins. “They’ve said that he was a left-wing activist who hated Charlie Kirk.”
“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,” Collins argued.
“That statement is false. What you just said is false,” Cruz said.
He continued, “You just said law enforcement has not laid out a motive. That is objectively false.”
The evidence collected by the investigation so far includes witness testimony, inscriptions on the alleged murder weapon, and text messages between Robinson and his partner.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R-Utah) said that bullet casings bore inscriptions such as, “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “Notices bulges OWO”, which is a popular phrase among the “furry” online subculture.
Robinson’s family member told investigators that he had recently spoken to them about how he believed Charlie Kirk was “full of hate,” specifically referencing his upcoming Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event at the Utah campus.
An alleged text from Robinson to his romantic partner—a biological male who claimed to identify as female—explained that his reason for shooting Kirk was, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” Cox said it was “very clear” that Robinson “was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”
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