PROVO, Utah — A preliminary hearing on Tuesday presented new evidence in the case of Tyler Robinson, the man charged with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last September. An investigator testified that campus surveillance footage places Robinson on a rooftop overlooking Kirk during the event where he was shot.
Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent David Hull described Robinson’s movements on September 10, the day Kirk was killed. According to Hull, Robinson arrived on campus approximately four hours before the shooting, dressed casually in shorts and a T-shirt. During that time, he purchased food at a Chick-fil-A and interacted briefly with members of Kirk's staff. Later, Robinson changed into different clothing before heading onto a rooftop that provided a vantage point over the area where Kirk was speaking to a crowd of thousands.
In video footage shown in court, Robinson is seen climbing over a railing onto the rooftop, crouching out of sight before firing a bolt-action rifle. After the shooting, he fled the scene on foot. Investigators recovered the suspected murder weapon, wrapped in a towel and containing one spent round, from nearby woods. Police subsequently spotted Robinson later that night in the campus vicinity.
Prosecutors are pursuing an aggravated murder charge and have expressed their intent to seek the death penalty, arguing the act endangered attendees at the large campus event and was politically motivated. They cited a note Robinson allegedly left for his roommate and romantic partner stating, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” along with a text message where Robinson purportedly said he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”
Robinson’s defense attorneys have contested the allegations of political hostility and have sought unsuccessfully to remove the death penalty as a sentencing option. Defense lawyer Kathryn Nester questioned the effectiveness of evidence collection at the crime scene, including the presence of a bullet found away from the shooting site. Agent Hull clarified the bullet originated from a law enforcement officer clearing his weapon and mentioned that a handgun was found in a backpack at the scene.
In efforts to counter the prosecution’s claim that Robinson’s motive was rooted in political animus, defense attorney Richard Novak challenged the admission of a statement describing the values of Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization co-founded by Kirk. Judge Tony Graf allowed the statement to be provisionally admitted, with a final ruling deferred.
Family members of both Kirk and Robinson have been present at the hearing, with Kirk’s parents and widow attending for the first time since the case began. The hearing functions as a preliminary inquiry into whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial, a standard lower than that required for a verdict, which demands proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutors must show only that reasonable grounds exist to believe Robinson committed the killing.