The individual accused of the assassination of Charlie Kirk is facing charges of aggravated murder, with prosecutors pushing for the death penalty.
According to prosecutors, Tyler Robinson allegedly shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from a nearby campus building while the conservative activist was conducting a rally at Utah Valley University last week. Robinson, aged 22, is also facing charges of felony discharge of a firearm, carrying a potential life sentence, and obstructing justice, which could result in up to 15 years in prison.
The alleged perpetrator was set to appear for a virtual court hearing on Tuesday afternoon. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray has expressed his intention to pursue the death penalty in this case.
Robinson is charged with a total of seven offenses:
Count 1: Aggravated murder
Count 2: Felony discharge of a firearm
Count 3: Obstruction of justice – moving a firearm
Count 4: Obstruction of justice – disposing of clothing
Count 5: Witness tampering – instructing a roommate to erase text messages
Count 6: Witness tampering – advising a roommate to remain silent
Count 7: Committing a violent crime in the presence of children
During a press briefing, Gray stated, “I am declaring my intent to pursue the death penalty.” He emphasized the gravity of the decision and the thorough consideration given to the evidence and circumstances surrounding the crime. Due to the capital punishment sought, the defendant will remain incarcerated without bail at the Utah County Jail.
Following a 33-hour manhunt, Robinson turned himself in to authorities after being identified by his father through CCTV footage released during the search. News of the charges emerged subsequent to Robinson reportedly admitting his involvement to friends in a Discord group before surrendering.
In a message attributed to Robinson, as per the Washington Post, he wrote, “Hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday. I’m sorry for all of this. I’m surrendering through a sheriff friend in a few moments. Thanks for all the good times and laughs, you’ve all been so amazing, thank you all for everything.”
Authorities have interviewed Robinson’s family members and executed a search warrant at his family residence in Washington, Utah, approximately 240 miles southwest of the crime scene. While Robinson has not cooperated with investigators, his relatives and acquaintances have been cooperative.
FBI Director Kash Patel informed Fox News Channel’s show Fox & Friends that DNA evidence has linked Robinson to a towel wrapped around a rifle discovered near the Utah Valley campus, as well as a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where the fatal shot was fired. Prior to the shooting, Robinson reportedly penned a note expressing his intention to target Kirk, as stated by Mr. Patel.
Officials revealed that Robinson harbored animosity towards Kirk and aligned with a “leftist ideology” that had intensified in recent times. According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Robinson was known to frequent the darker corners of the internet.
Mr. Patel mentioned that investigators reconstructed a written communication by suspect Robinson in which he indicated his plan to harm Kirk. “He had an opportunity to take out Kirk and was going to make use of it,” Mr. Patel stated. The contents of the note were recovered even after it was destroyed, as per the FBI director, who provided a summary of the note without divulging further details.
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