In Utah County, prosecutors are contemplating multiple charges against Robinson, with the gravest being aggravated murder, which carries the possibility of the death penalty.
PROVO, Utah — Prosecutors are set to submit a capital murder charge Tuesday against a Utah man who allegedly embraced a “leftist ideology” and may have been “radicalized” online before his arrest for the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson are anticipated prior to his first court hearing following accusations last week that he shot Kirk, a conservative activist known for invigorating the Republican youth movement and aiding President Donald Trump in regaining the White House in 2024.
Authorities have been compiling evidence, including a rifle and ammunition marked with anti-fascist and meme culture slogans, discovered after the shooting Wednesday at Utah Valley University in Orem. Kirk was speaking there during one of his campus visits, known for engaging in spirited debates with all comers.
Prosecutors in Utah County are evaluating several charges against Robinson, with the most severe being aggravated murder, which could result in the death penalty if convicted.
Following the filing of charges, Robinson is slated to appear via video for a virtual court session. He has been detained without bail since his capture, and it remains uncertain whether he has legal representation.
While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they do say his family and friends have been talking. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said over the weekend that those who know Robinson say his politics shifted left in recent years and that he spent a lot of time in the “dark corners of the internet.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday on the Fox News show “Fox & Friends” that DNA evidence has linked Robinson to a towel wrapped around a rifle found near the Utah Valley campus and a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where the fatal shot was fired.
Before the shooting, Robinson wrote in a note that he had an opportunity to take out Kirk and was going to do it, according to Patel.
Investigators are working on finding a motive for the attack, Utah’s governor said Sunday, adding that more information may come out once Robinson appears for his initial court hearing.
Cox said Robinson’s romantic partner was transgender, which some politicians have pointed to as a sign the suspect was targeting Kirk for his anti-transgender views. But authorities have not yet said whether that played a role. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said Monday that Robinson’s partner has been cooperative. He said investigators believe Robinson acted alone during the shooting, but they also are looking at whether anyone knew of his plans beforehand.
In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.
Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone who they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.
Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
