Justice for Charlie: Utah Prosecutors File Death Penalty Case Against Tyler Robinson
- Rich Washburn
- Sep 16
- 3 min read
Utah County prosecutors have formally charged 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson with the capital murder of Charlie Kirk, marking a decisive escalation in what officials are calling one of the most significant criminal cases in the state’s history.
At a press conference Friday morning, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray laid out a detailed account of the charges, evidence, and timeline, describing Kirk’s assassination as both “an American tragedy and an offense against the state and the peace of Utah.”
The Charges
Robinson faces seven counts, including:
Aggravated murder (capital offense) – for the intentional killing of Charlie Kirk under circumstances that placed many others at risk.
Felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury – with aggravating factors, including targeting Kirk for his political expression and shooting in the presence of children.
Two counts of obstruction of justice – for concealing the rifle and discarding clothing worn during the attack.
Two counts of witness tampering – for urging his roommate to delete incriminating texts and remain silent if questioned.
Commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child – for committing homicide while children were present and witnessing the act.
Gray also announced he has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty, saying: “I do not take this decision lightly… but the circumstances and nature of the crime demand it.”
The Shooting
On September 10, 2025, at approximately 12:23 p.m., Charlie Kirk was speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. Several hundred people were gathered as Kirk took questions under a canopy near the UVU Hall of Flags.
Fifteen minutes into the event, a single gunshot rang out. The bullet struck Kirk in the neck as he was answering a question about mass shootings. He collapsed almost instantly. The shot narrowly missed others standing near him, including the questioner directly in front of the microphone. Children were present in the immediate area.
Kirk was rushed to a hospital but pronounced dead soon after arrival.
The Investigation
Sniper’s position: UVU police quickly identified a rooftop roughly 160 yards away as the firing location. Gravel markings indicated a prone shooting position. Surveillance footage captured a suspect in dark clothing accessing the roof minutes before the shot, then fleeing.
The weapon: Investigators later recovered a bolt-action Mauser rifle wrapped in a towel in a wooded area. It contained one spent round and three live rounds. Each cartridge bore bizarre etched inscriptions, including “Notices bulges, OwO what’s this?”, “Hey fascist! Catch!”, “O Bella Ciao…”, and “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”
Forensics: DNA consistent with Robinson was found on the rifle, cartridges, and towel.
Surveillance: Cameras tracked the suspect’s movements across campus, noting an unusual gait as though concealing a weapon. After the shooting, the suspect was filmed fleeing with an item shaped like a rifle.
The Confession Trail
Robinson’s capture came not by force, but through family intervention. On September 11, Robinson’s mother saw the surveillance photos and recognized her son. After confronting him, Robinson implied he was the shooter and voiced suicidal intent. With the help of his parents and a retired sheriff’s deputy, Robinson surrendered at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office that evening.
According to police, Robinson’s parents confirmed he had grown increasingly political in recent years, criticizing Kirk as “spreading hate.” His father also identified the rifle as one given to Robinson as a family heirloom.
Robinson’s roommate provided text messages and a handwritten note in which Robinson confessed his intent: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.” He later texted, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
The Path to Trial
Attorney Jeff Gray emphasized that these are still allegations and that Robinson, like all accused, is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He noted that Utah prosecutors have three days to file charging documents, with a preliminary hearing expected in the coming weeks.
“The free exchange of ideas and opinions is critical to this great American experiment,” Gray said. “But so too are the protections afforded to the accused. We will prove our case in court, before a jury of his peers, and not in the headlines.”
For now, Robinson is being held without bail at the Utah County Jail.
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