Utah prosecutors on Tuesday filed aggravated murder charges against Tyler Robinson in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and said they will pursue the death penalty.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced the charges, which also include felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and several related offenses.
“I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime,” Gray said during a press conference.
Robinson, 22, of Washington, Utah, has been jailed without bail since his arrest Friday morning. He appeared virtually from jail at his initial hearing Tuesday, wearing an anti-suicide vest, where a judge set his next court date for Sept. 29.
Authorities said Robinson was identified in part after his family recognized him in surveillance footage released following the Sept. 10 shooting at Utah Valley University in Orem. Kirk, a married father of two, was killed during a crowded speaking event.
Charging documents detail text messages Robinson allegedly exchanged with his roommate before and after the attack. On the day of the shooting, Robinson allegedly texted: “Drop what you’re doing. Look under my keyboard.” His roommate said he then discovered a note reading, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
When the roommate questioned him, Robinson allegedly replied: “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.” Later, when asked if he was responsible, Robinson texted: “I am, I’m sorry.”
The charging documents allege Robinson told his roommate he acted because “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” and that he had been planning the shooting for “a bit over a week.”
Police recovered a bolt-action .30-06 rifle with a scope near the scene, believed to be the murder weapon. The weapon contained shell casings etched with inscriptions referencing internet memes. In messages to his roommate, Robinson allegedly wrote: “Remember how I was engraving bullets? The f—– messages are mostly a big meme.”
Robinson also discussed abandoning the weapon on campus. “If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence,” one text read. He later expressed regret, adding, “I’m wishing I had circled back and grabbed it as soon as I got to my vehicle, I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpa’s rifle.”
Candace Owens, a longtime friend of Charlie Kirk, said in a video that text messages released by the U.S. government in the Tyler Robinson case are “doctored” and “fake.” Owens argued the messages were selectively presented to drive a narrative and called for all of them — with timestamps — to be released in full.
Gray said Tuesday it was unclear whether Robinson had obtained an attorney.
The shooting sparked widespread condemnation and reignited national debates over political violence. Allies of Kirk, including former President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, blamed the “radical left” for the attack. Some of Kirk’s critics, however, continued to voice opposition to his politics after his death, drawing outrage from supporters.
Charging documents also detail the role Robinson’s family played in his arrest. His parents told investigators they recognized him in surveillance images, and his father called him directly. Robinson allegedly implied he planned to take his own life but agreed to meet his parents. A family friend and retired deputy sheriff persuaded him to surrender.
“When asked why he did it, Robinson explained there is too much evil, and [Kirk] spreads too much hate,” the documents state.
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman has denied Candace Owens’ claim that he staged an intervention with Charlie Kirk during a Hamptons meeting shortly before Kirk’s death, where Owens alleges Kirk was intimidated into taking a stronger pro-Israel stance. Ackman called the accusations “totally false,” saying, “at no time have I ever threatened Charlie Kirk, Turning Point or anyone associated with him.”
Robinson’s mother told police that over the past year, her son had become more political, leaning “more pro gay and trans-rights oriented,” and had begun dating his roommate, “a biological male who was transitioning genders,” according to investigators.
Along with text messages and family statements, prosecutors said DNA evidence also links Robinson to the crime.
