By Jack Phillips and Janice Hisle
PROVO, Utah—Prosecutors on Tuesday unveiled charges against the man accused in the assassination of Charlie Kirk, including a capital murder count.
The counts against Tyler James Robinson include aggravated murder charges, felony discharge of a firearm and causing serious bodily injury, two obstruction of justice counts, two witness tampering charges, and violent offense committed in the presence of a child, said Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray in a news conference with dozens of reporters at the Utah County Health & Justice Building in Provo, Utah.
“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said, expressing his condolences and prayers to the Kirk family.
Later Tuesday, Robinson, who appeared unshaven and in prison garb, made his first appearance before a judge at the Utah Fourth Judicial District Court. The charges were read to him and he was informed that he could face the death penalty or be sentenced to life in prison.
His next court date is set for Sept. 29, and no defense counsel was appointed for Robinson. The judge ordered him held without bond.
The capital aggravated murder charge means Robinson could face the death penalty if convicted in the Kirk killing. Because prosecutors “are seeking the death penalty,” Gray recommended that Robinson be held without bail.
Charges against Robinson, 22, came after he was arrested last week as he was named the suspect in the killing of Kirk, a conservative commentator credited with energizing younger conservatives and helping President Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024, at a Utah college on Sept. 10.
Gray said that the witness tampering charges stem from Robinson allegedly telling his roommate to stay silent if police questioned him and also telling the roommate to delete messages that contained incriminating evidence.
Investigators have been cobbling together evidence in the killing, including a bolt-action rifle and ammunition engraved with anti-fascist messages, found after the shooting Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem. Kirk had been speaking at an event when he was shot in front of a crowd of people.
On Sunday, a spokesman for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office told The Epoch Times Robinson had been moved to a special watch area in the county’s jail facility before mental health officials make an evaluation.
Robinson was arrested last week near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said on Sept. 12.
Other individuals may have been involved or knew about Robinson’s plan, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a Senate hearing on Tuesday. He said that there were well over 20 people in a Discord chat server with Robinson who are being investigated.
Both Cox and Patel have said that Robinson had a left-wing ideological viewpoint, with Cox announcing that bullets recovered in the case were etched with anti-fascist messages. Gray also made reference to the bullets’ etchings during Tuesday’s news conference.
“Hey fascists! Catch,” was one of the messages on the bullets, said Gray.
DNA consistent with Robinson was found on the rifle, the trigger, the fired cartridge casing, and the unfired casings, and a towel used to wrap the rifle, Patel said Monday. The bolt-action-style rifle was discarded in a wooded area by the suspect, officials have said.
Gray also revealed more information about the arrest, saying that on Sept. 11, Robinson went with his parents to the sheriff’s office to turn himself in.
After photos of the suspect were released by the FBI last week, Robinson’s parents expressed concern to one another that the images looked like him, the prosecutor said.
His parents told officials that “over the last year or so,” Robinson started becoming “more political, and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-gay and trans rights oriented,” and that “Robinson began to date his roommate, a biological male,” said Gray.
Robinson also allegedly told his parents that he shot Kirk because “the guy spreads too much hate” and that there is “too much evil” in the world. He also allegedly confirmed the messages that he engraved on the bullets.
The roommate involved in a relationship with Robinson told officials that he got a text message to look for a note. The note allegedly said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
Another text message allegedly said that “I had enough of his hatred,” referring to Kirk, according to Gray.
Robinson also told the roommate that he had planned the shooting for just “over a week,” including other alleged details about his plans, Gray said.
He also allegedly told the roommate not to speak to the media and advised the individual to get a lawyer, the district attorney told reporters.
Without going into details about a possible motive, Gray noted that the charges against Robinson are allegations and that he still faces a jury trial.
