Utah County prosecutors on Tuesday charged Tyler Robinson within the taking pictures demise of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley College, a homicide officers say was politically motivated. They intend to hunt the demise penalty.
Utah County Legal professional Jeff Grey introduced the indictment at a noon information convention, itemizing expenses of aggravated homicide, felony discharge of a firearm inflicting severe bodily harm, and fee of a violent offense within the presence of a kid. Robinson, 22, can also be charged with two counts of obstruction and two counts of witness tampering.
“Charlie Kirk was murdered whereas participating in considered one of our most sacred and cherished American rights,” Grey stated. “The bedrock of our democratic republic is the free trade of concepts in a seek for reality, understanding, and a extra excellent union.”
Grey stated that the homicide was thought-about an aggravated offense as a result of it was believed to be motivated by the sufferer’s political expression. On the matter of the demise penalty, he added: “I don’t take this determination evenly, and it’s a determination I’ve made independently as county lawyer based mostly solely on the obtainable proof and circumstances and nature of the crime.”
Robinson will make his first courtroom look at 3 pm MST on Tuesday.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot on September 10 whereas taking questions from college students. The cofounder of Turning Level USA, he was credited with galvanizing younger conservatives and enjoying a pivotal position in Donald Trump’s 2024 White Home return.
The taking pictures sparked chaos on campus, the place delayed and contradictory emergency alerts left many college students and school scrambling in confusion. Vigils for Kirk have since been held in Arizona, New York, and Washington, amongst different states. Throughout the US, Kirk’s homicide has change into each a rallying cry for far-right retribution and gasoline for an assault on civil society.
Investigators declare forensic proof hyperlinks Robinson to the taking pictures, with FBI director Kash Patel telling Fox & Associates that matching DNA was discovered on a towel wrapped across the rifle and on a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop the place the deadly shot was fired. Patel additionally stated investigators consider Robinson wrote a notice of his alleged intent to kill Kirk, bolstering claims the assault was premeditated.
An indictment launched Tuesday provides vivid particulars to the allegations. Prosecutors say surveillance footage captured Robinson climbing onto a campus rooftop, mendacity inclined in a “sniper place,” and firing from almost 160 yards away. Investigators recovered cartridges on the scene with hand-engraved messages, which prosecutors argue factors to premeditation and motive.
Prosecutors additionally cited interviews with Robinson’s dad and mom and roommate, who stated he expressed anger that Kirk “spreads an excessive amount of hate” and admitted he had “sufficient of his hatred.” The submitting additional alleges that Robinson advised his roommate to remain silent if approached by police and that youngsters have been seen close to the stage when Kirk was shot—elements prosecutors say aggravated the seriousness of the crime.
The indictment recounts an interview with Robinson’s mom, who advised investigators her son had grown extra political up to now 12 months “and had began to lean extra to the left,” the indictment claims, citing “pro-gay” and “trans-rights” views. She described him as turning into more and more consumed by on-line debates and grievances, noting his fixation with political subjects appeared to accentuate within the weeks main as much as the taking pictures, the indictment says. She added that Robinson had additionally begun so far his roommate, a transgender girl, including that his father has “very totally different political opinions.” The roommate is claimed to be absolutely cooperating with the federal government.
