Political violence is on the rise in America. What’s driving it? : NPR
An American flag and a candle are on a stage during a candlelit vigil and the prayer event for the founder of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk on September 10 in Seattle. Kirk was killed by speaking at the University of Utah Valley earlier during the day.
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David Ryder / Getty images
On Friday, the governor of Utah Spencer Cox, a Republican, announced that the authorities had a suspect in detention for the murder of far -right activist Charlie Kirk. Cox identified Tyler Robinson, 22, as the alleged shooter who shot Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
According to Cox, a family friend told investigators that Robinson had “become more political in recent years” and had recently expressed an aversion to Charlie Kirk. Beyond that, there are still many questions to answer.
However, in long hours before his apprehension, speculation about the identity and motivations of the killer filled the void. President Trump blamed the “radical left” in the aftermath of the shooting. But, as a correspondent for domestic extremism NPR, Odette Yousef and the main and corresponding political editor Domenico Montanaro explains, political violence in America rarely follows the right right policy.
Instead, data shows an increase in political violence committed by people influenced by a mixture of different extremist ideologies. There have also been cases where people commit violence just for violence.
However, at a time of partisanary, division and increased vitriol of the country, these acts of violence have often led people to project their own political convictions on the situation.
Listen to this conversation by pressing the reading button above.
