Prosecutors in Utah on Tuesday formally charged 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson with the murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, announcing their intent to pursue the death penalty.
Kirk, a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump and founder of the right-wing youth organization Turning Point USA, was fatally shot last week during a speaking engagement on a university campus in Utah.
According to authorities, Robinson fired a single rifle shot from a rooftop, striking Kirk in the neck. He was apprehended after a 33-hour manhunt that drew national attention.
“After reviewing the evidence that law enforcement has collected thus far, I am charging Tyler James Robinson with the following crimes,” Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said during a press conference.
“Count one: aggravated murder, a capital offence, for intentionally or knowingly causing the death of Charlie Kirk under circumstances that created a great risk of death to others.”
In addition to the murder charge, Robinson faces six other counts, including obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Prosecutors allege he instructed his roommate to remain silent following the shooting.
Gray confirmed that his office would seek the death penalty, saying, “I do not take this decision lightly. It is a decision I have made independently as County Attorney, based solely on the available evidence, the circumstances, and the nature of the crime.”
Kirk, a father of two, built a national following through social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where he often advanced conservative talking points, particularly opposition to transgender rights. Known for his confrontational campus debates, Kirk was a polarising figure in American politics.
FBI under scrutiny
The FBI’s handling of the investigation has come under sharp criticism, particularly after Director Kash Patel initially announced the arrest of a different suspect—who was released just two hours later.
Patel faced tough questioning from a Senate panel on Tuesday, including a tense exchange with Democratic Senator Cory Booker. The hearing addressed both the Kirk case and broader concerns about the bureau’s leadership under Patel, a Trump appointee.
On Monday, the White House announced plans to investigate what it called a “left-wing domestic terror movement” in response to Kirk’s killing. The statement has sparked concern among civil liberties groups, who fear the administration could use the incident to suppress political dissent.
