Americanswers…on 5 Live! Who is Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer?
Americast
BBC
4.2 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 15 September 2025
⏱️ 44 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What do we know, and not know, about Tyler Robinson - the 22 year old man who has become the main suspect in the shooting of the conservative activist and influencer Charlie Kirk? After a 33 hour manhunt, investigators say Robinson’s father recognised him from images released to the public, and persuaded his son to hand himself in. Sarah, Marianna and Justin unpack the various theories around Robinson’s possible motive, how the case is developing and the continuing political fallout from the shooting.
Also, in the week of the US president’s historical second state visit to the UK we get a behind the scenes insight into Trump’s first visit, with the former US Ambassador, Lord Kim Darroch, who helped organise it. How are decisions made over itinerary and agenda? How much politics is likely to be discussed? And as Keir Starmer explains his decision to sack the current ambassador, Lord Mandelson, did he make the right decision at the right time?
HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Senior Correspondent
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This episode was made by Rufus Gray and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Chris Murphy. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.6 | Hello, as you may be very well aware, on Mondays, we joined Matt Charlie on Five Live and answer the questions that you have sent in. |
| 0:13.3 | And this week, we have had an overwhelming response, people wanting to know more about Tyler Robinson, |
| 0:19.1 | the suspected gunman who has been arrested |
| 0:21.7 | for the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah last week. So we will be discussing what we know |
| 0:27.6 | about and what we've learned about his potential motives, what clues there are out there, his |
| 0:32.3 | family background, anything we have gleaned so far that would try to lead us to understand what happened there. |
| 0:39.4 | But also at the same time, it's worth reflecting on, and we do the hate, the division, |
| 0:45.7 | the polarization that has been sparked by this killing, which is so much more extreme than |
| 0:52.0 | anything I've witnessed in America before and goes right to the top as well. |
| 0:56.5 | It's actually worrying the calls for vengeance and violence |
| 1:00.4 | that we're seeing in the light of this murder. |
| 1:03.3 | And of course, we can't help but mention Peter Mandelson, |
| 1:06.6 | the ex-British ambassador to Washington, |
| 1:09.2 | so dramatically sacked last week, just before Donald Trump is due to arrive in the UK on a very high-profile state visit. |
| 1:17.5 | We hear for the first time from Kier Starmour since he sacked Peter Mandelson during the episode. |
| 1:23.4 | And afterwards, we are able to talk to somebody who knows exactly what it's like |
| 1:28.6 | trying to put together a state visit for Donald Trump. |
| 1:32.4 | Lord Derek, Kim Derek, who was the British ambassador in the United States |
| 1:36.5 | during Donald Trump's first term, he planned the first state visit |
| 1:40.1 | and he comes in to give us all the behind-the-scenes gossip on exactly what it's like |
| 1:44.5 | putting together an event like this. You'll hear from him soon, but first, here's me, |
... |
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