Prosecutors on Tuesday charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with murder in the Sept. 10 killing of conservative commentator and activist Charlie Kirk, saying investigators have a text-message confession to a partner, a note left before the attack and DNA on the rifle trigger that matches Robinson.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray outlined the evidence at a news conference, saying Robinson wrote in a text that he had “spent more than a week” planning the attack and that he had been motivated by what he described as Kirk’s “hatred.” Gray said a handwritten note hidden under a keyboard contained the line, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” The charges include murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstructing justice and witness tampering, and prosecutors have filed two enhancements, including that some crimes were committed in front of or near children and that the violence was carried out based on the victim’s political beliefs.
Gray also said DNA recovered from the trigger of the bolt-action rifle that killed Kirk matched Robinson. Prosecutors described text exchanges in which Robinson told a partner, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” In another message, Robinson wrote, “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.” Court filings released by prosecutors say the partner appeared shocked and asked Robinson why he did it and how long he had been planning it.
Kirk, a founder of Turning Point USA and a prominent voice in conservative politics who had become a confidant of former President Donald Trump, was shot in the neck while speaking with students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. Prosecutors allege Robinson fired from the roof of a nearby building.
Robinson appeared briefly by video from jail as a judge read the charges Tuesday; he mostly stared straight ahead and nodded slightly as the court appointed an attorney. Authorities said Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, Utah, where he grew up, after family members and others spoke with investigators. Gray said Robinson’s parents confronted him after recognizing his picture and that he at one point said he wanted to kill himself. A family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy persuaded Robinson to surrender, Gray said.
Authorities have not publicly identified a clear motive. Gray declined to say whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views and said that would be for a jury to decide. Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said investigators were beginning to “get a picture of where his mind was,” pointing to the note, texts and other investigative threads.
Investigators say Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who they say was transgender; Gray said the partner has cooperated with authorities. Gray told reporters Robinson’s mother told investigators her son had shifted politically over the past year and had become more supportive of gay and transgender rights after the relationship began. The prosecutor said political disagreements between Robinson and his father had been a recurring source of tension in the family.
Gray said Robinson directed the partner to delete their text messages and to stay silent if questioned, conduct that led to the witness-tampering and obstructing-justice charges. Prosecutors also allege Robinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked the partner to conceal evidence.
FBI Director Kash Patel told a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that agents were examining anyone and everyone connected to a gaming chatroom on Discord where Robinson participated. Patel said the chatroom involved more than 20 people and that the FBI was “running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence.” Gray said he would not comment on whether anyone else will face charges or whether Robinson’s partner might be charged.
The case has reverberated beyond Utah, raising questions about political violence and threats against public figures. Kirk’s role in mobilizing young conservatives through Turning Point USA and his visibility in national politics made him a high-profile target, and his death prompted debates about the tone of public discourse. In the days after the shooting, some who had opposed Kirk’s rhetoric criticized him even after his death, and some Republicans have led efforts to punish those they say dishonored him, resulting in job losses and other consequences for a few individuals, according to news reports.
The charges announced Tuesday carry potential penalties that include life in prison for felony discharge of a firearm and up to 15 years for obstructing justice; the murder count could expose Robinson to the death penalty if he is convicted. Prosecutors said the investigation remains active as they continue to gather and review evidence.
Robinson’s family declined to comment publicly after his arrest. Officials have not released full details about the timeline of Robinson’s movements before and after the shooting, and did not provide timestamps for the texts cited in court filings. The investigation involves local and federal authorities and has drawn attention from lawmakers and law enforcement as officials seek to determine whether others were involved or aware of Robinson’s plans.