17/09/2025
Prosecutors are pursuing a death sentence against the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced a at a press conference today (Tuesday, September 16). Gray outlined evidence against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand that said he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.” Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby campus building. A Utah Valley University police officer was watching the university campus crowd from an “elevated position” and identified the roof of the Losee Center as a potential position for a shooter, Gray said. The officer found evidence on the roof immediately, he said, and spurred officers to direct their attention to surveillance video leading to the roof. Charges and supporting allegations: Count 1: aggravated murder, a capital offense for intentionally or knowingly causing the death of Charlie Kirk under circumstances that created a great risk of death to others Count 2: felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony. Aggravating factors on counts one and two for targeting Kirk based on Kirk's political expression, and doing so knowing that children were present and would witness the homicide Count 3: obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, for moving and concealing the rifle used in the shooting. Count 4: obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, for disposing the clothing he wore during the shooting Count 5, witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his roommate to delete text messages Count 6, witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his roommate to stay silent if police questioned him Count 7, commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child, a Class A misdemeanor for committing homicide knowing that children were present and may have seen or heard the murder and for doing so based on Charlie Kirk's political expression "DNA consistent ... with the defendant was found on the trigger other parts of the rifle, the fired cartridge casing, two of the three unfired cartridges and the towel." "Robinson's mother explained that over the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro gay and trans rights oriented. She stated that Robinson began to date his roommate, a biological male who was transit transitioning genders." "The roommate looked under the keyboard and found a note that stated quote, I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I'm going to take it."
