Tyler Robinson, 23, has admitted to friends that he was responsible for the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, according to evidence presented by prosecutors during a preliminary hearing in Provo, Utah. Robinson, who faces murder charges and could potentially receive the death penalty, had not entered a plea as of the hearing, which focused on whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.

Prosecutors revealed messages Robinson sent through the Discord app in which he confessed to the shooting, urging recipients to review surveillance photos to confirm his involvement. One message reads, “Look at the photos from the surveillance footage. It was me. Thanks again for everything.”

During the hearing, prosecutors also played a recorded April interview with Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s former roommate and romantic partner. Twiggs described Robinson’s emotional state following the shooting, noting that the day after the incident, amid a large manhunt, Robinson paced their apartment and expressed regret. “He started crying a little bit, and said he wishes he hadn’t done it,” Twiggs said in the interview.

Twiggs recounted that Robinson left their residence in the early morning hours of the day of the shooting, claiming he had to travel to an electrician job. That night, Robinson sent a text urging Twiggs to look under his keyboard, where a handwritten note was found. The note, shown publicly for the first time during the hearing, included an apology and acknowledged the likelihood of either death or a lengthy prison sentence. It also referenced Robinson’s stated motive: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” the note read. “I wish we could have lived in a world where this was not necessary.”

Surveillance images from the campus were reviewed during Twiggs’s interview, and he identified the suspect’s clothing and shoes as resembling those Robinson typically wore. Portions of the interview have been redacted by Judge Tony Graf to balance the need for transparency with Robinson’s right to a fair trial. Legal representatives for Kirk’s family have argued against the redactions, seeking full disclosure of the evidence.

Robinson surrendered to authorities approximately a day and a half after the shooting. During the preliminary hearing, he appeared with his legal defense but showed no visible reaction to the airing of the interview. Family members, including his parents, attended the hearing; his father maintained a solemn expression throughout.

The hearing is expected to continue as a crucial step in the judicial process determining whether the case will advance to trial.