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Prosecutors filed an aggravated murder charge Tuesday against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University, saying investigators linked him to the killing through DNA evidence, surveillance footage and his own confession.
“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said in announcing the charges. Robinson now faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted. He was also charged with felony discharge of a firearm and obstruction of justice.
Kirk, a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump and founder of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Sept. 10 as he spoke with students on campus in Orem, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. Prosecutors allege Robinson fired a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby university building, striking Kirk in the neck. He died shortly after.
DNA and a confession
According to charging documents, police discovered Robinson’s DNA on the rifle’s trigger. Surveillance video and a responding officer’s observations of the rooftop location led investigators to the weapon and other evidence. Prosecutors say Robinson left a handwritten note under a keyboard indicating his plan to kill Kirk and later confessed following the shooting.
Robinson allegedly discarded clothing and tried to enlist his roommate to hide evidence. Text messages released by authorities show him monitoring police lockdowns and debating whether to retrieve his rifle after the attack. “I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it,” one message read.
Robinson was arrested three days later near St. George, his hometown in southern Utah. His family has declined to comment, and it was unclear Tuesday whether he had legal representation.
Political violence concerns
Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s politics or personal relationships motivated the shooting, but confirmed enhancements were added to the charges, including allegations of committing violence near children and targeting a victim based on political beliefs.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said friends and relatives told investigators Robinson’s political views had shifted left in recent years and that he spent time in “dark corners of the internet.” FBI Director Kash Patel told senators Tuesday that agents are examining a Discord chatroom where Robinson interacted with more than 20 people.
The assassination has intensified national debate about rising political violence. Kirk, 30, was a polarizing figure in American politics, praised by conservatives for mobilizing young evangelical Christians and criticized by opponents for his incendiary comments about race, gender and immigration.
“Investigators are pursuing every lead,” Gray said. “This was not just an attack on one man but an attack that shakes the foundations of civil society.”
