The family of Charlie Kirk came face to face with his accused assassin for the first time in a Utah courtroom Monday, the opening day of a preliminary hearing expected to last a week. Tyler Robinson, 23, was present in the courtroom before media were admitted. He was seen wearing a gray suit, pink shirt, and black tie, with his wrists and ankles cuffed.
During the hearing, audio from videos showing Kirk's shooting death was played for the judge and attorneys. While Judge Tony Graf Jr. appeared to flinch and lean away from the screen when the sound of the fatal gunshot was heard, Robinson exhibited no visible response. The footage itself was not publicly displayed in court.
Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent David Hull testified, introducing several videos, including those of Kirk's death. Two of the videos, audible to reporters, reportedly depicted the moment a sniper's bullet struck Kirk in the neck. Kirk's family members left the courtroom twice before these graphic elements were introduced, after receiving warnings.
Erika Kirk, Kirk's widow, along with his parents, Rob and Kathy Kirk, watched the proceedings closely, seated together and occasionally exchanging glances. Other relatives, including Erika's sister Tonya and her niece and nephew, were also present. Donald Trump Jr., his wife Bettina, and commentators Jack Posobiec and Brandon Tatum were among those supporting the Kirk family.
Robinson's parents were seated in the fourth row with other relatives, a change from their usual front-row seating. During testimony about the autopsy report, which listed Kirk's death as a homicide by a gunshot wound to the neck, Robinson's mother placed a hand on her husband's shoulder.
Officer Christopher Bagley, now with the Spanish Fork Police Department, was the first witness. He was working at Utah Valley University when Kirk was shot and killed during a Turning Point USA event on Sept. 10, 2025. Bagley testified that he believed he heard a rifle shot, not a pistol shot, from the direction of the Losee Center. He based this on finding an empty handgun holster on the ground amidst the initial chaos and observing that the Losee Center rooftop had a clear line of sight to where Kirk was speaking. On the rooftop, he discovered a screwdriver and impressions in the gravel resembling a "sniper’s pad." He also reviewed surveillance video showing a suspect on the roof, noting footprints in the grass where the suspect descended and scuff marks on the roof above. During cross-examination, Bagley confirmed his initial police report did not specify the direction of the shot and that he did not know the whereabouts of the handgun holster.
An objection from Robinson's defense was sustained by Judge Graf regarding UVU surveillance video, as the edited version presented, with blurred faces and zooms, had not been properly authenticated. Prosecutors stated they planned to introduce an unedited version later.
Agent Hull is expected to resume his testimony Tuesday morning. Other video evidence shown included a vehicle alleged to be Robinson's traveling to and from a house near the UVU campus after midnight on Sept. 11, more than 12 hours after Kirk's murder. Robinson also reportedly had an encounter with law enforcement in the area hours after the shooting.
The court is expected to hear a recorded statement from Robinson's former lover, Lance Twiggs, who prosecutors allege received a written confession from Robinson after the crime. Robinson has not yet entered a plea. He faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted of aggravated murder.