Discord has denied allegations that Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk, used its messaging platform to discuss his crime. The company addresses these claims following mentions of Discord by law enforcement during a press conference. Jud Hoffman, the vice president of trust and safety at Discord, stated that a review of the platform found “no evidence that the suspect planned this incident or promoted violence” using Discord.
During a recent press briefing, Utah Governor Spencer Cox mentioned that investigators had spoken with Robinson’s roommate, who reportedly noted that Robinson had made a joke on Discord. Investigators requested access to Discord messages and took photos of the screens displaying these messages. According to Cox, some of these messages included references like “having left the rifle wrapped in a towel” and “engraving bullets.”
However, Discord’s spokesperson clarified that the remarks made by the roommate implied discussions with a third party rather than direct communication on Discord with Robinson. “The messages referenced in recent reporting about planning details do not appear to be Discord messages,” Hoffman explained, indicating that these communications were instead between Robinson’s roommate and a friend after the incident, recounting a note left by Robinson elsewhere.
Since the shooting, Discord has faced criticism from certain right-wing figures, who allege that the platform has been used to radicalize young individuals. Influencers such as Andy Ngo and Laura Loomer have made comparisons between Robinson’s alleged use of Discord and other violent cases. Additionally, Republican Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna has called on the FBI to investigate “radicalization networks,” claiming that platforms like Discord are being exploited by extremists.
Hoffman further stated that Discord has removed Robinson’s account for violating its off-platform behavior policy and emphasized the company’s stance against violence.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/777614/discord-charlie-kirk-shooting-tyler-robinson