A Utah judge ruled Tuesday that Tyler Robinson, 23, will stand trial for the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and could face the death penalty if convicted. The ruling by Judge Tony Graf determined that prosecutors presented enough evidence to proceed with charges including first-degree murder.
Graf also found sufficient evidence that Robinson endangered bystanders when he allegedly fired toward a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, where Kirk, 31, was scheduled to speak. Robinson pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of tampering with a witness, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child. Several of these charges carry a potential death sentence by firing squad if a conviction is secured.
The decision comes nearly a year after Kirk's death. During a preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented what they described as a "mountain of evidence" supporting their case. Prosecutor Ryan McBride detailed how Robinson allegedly traveled to the university, positioned himself on a rooftop, shot Kirk, and subsequently bragged about the act via text messages to his partner, Lance Twiggs. Evidence cited included video footage, DNA traces found on the weapon and a screwdriver left at the scene, and communications with Twiggs.
Video testimony from Twiggs was also presented, in which he claimed Robinson confessed to the shooting both through text and in a personal conversation. McBride suggested the motive stemmed from Kirk's advocacy for traditional conservative values, which he argued were contrary to Robinson's LGBTQ+ lifestyle and his relationship with Twiggs, who was reportedly considering gender transition.
McBride further argued for aggravating factors that could qualify Robinson for the death penalty. These include the high probability of harm to bystanders, the targeting of Kirk for his political views, and the presence of children in the crowd of approximately 4,000 people. McBride noted that video evidence showed babies in arms within the crowd when the shot was fired.
Robinson's defense attorneys contested the prosecution's claims, questioning the reliability of the video and DNA evidence. They also argued that a single rifle shot did not meet the legal standard for a "high probability" of bystander death and asserted there was no direct evidence linking Robinson's alleged animosity towards Kirk to his personal relationships. "There’s a gap between what it is Mr. Kirk said and stood for … and what it is Mr. Robinson felt about him," stated defense attorney Richard Novak, suggesting the state was speculating on the motive.