Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect Tyler Robinson Has Been Formally Charged In His Death
on Sep 16, 2025
Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Grey detailed the charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Less than a week after the political assassination of Charlie Kirk, 31, Tyler Robinson was formally charged with the crime, and will be making his first court appearance.
Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder, was shot during an appearance at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday, September 10. Kirk was answering questions from students in front of a crowd of 3000 attendees at the time of his death. Robinson was arrested approximately 33 hours later after a statewide manhunt.
RELATED: CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING SUSPECT ARRESTED – WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION
Initial reports from authorities revealed that Robinson’s father recognized him from photos circulated by news outlets. When confronted, Tyler reportedly admitted to the crime, which led his father to reach out to a family friend, later identified as a youth pastor. After speaking with Tyler, the pastor contacted authorities, and Tyler was taken into custody. He was held on charges of suspicion of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and felony discharge of a firearm.
However, in an interview with ABC News’ “This Week,” Utah governor Spencer Cox shared that the suspect was “not cooperating, but all the people around him are cooperating.”
Charges were formally filed against Tyler Robinson on Tuesday.
As the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s murder continues, a press conference was held in which Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray detailed the seven charges filed against Tyler Robinson. The charges are as follows:
Count 1 – Aggravated murder, a capital offense, for intentionally or knowingly causing the death of Charlie Kirk under circumstances that created a great risk of death to others.
Count 2 – Felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony.
Count 3, Obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony for moving and concealing the rifle used in the shooting.
Count 4 – Obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony for disposing of the clothing he wore during the shooting.
Count 5 – Witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his roommate to delete his incriminating texts.
Count 6 – Witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his roommate to stay silent when police questioned him.
Count 7 – Commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child, a Class A misdemeanor, for committing homicide knowing that children were present and may have seen or heard the murder, and did so based on Charlie Kirk’s political expression.
Gray further revealed his intent to seek the death penalty.
“I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney, based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime.”
During the press conference, additional details about the investigation and arrest of Tyler Robinson were revealed.
Gray shared a detailed sequence of events that led to Robinson’s arrest. He corrected previous accounts that it was Tyler’s father who recognized him. It was, in fact, Tyler’s mother who saw her son’s resemblance to the photos and questioned him. When she shared her concerns with her husband, he agreed that the photos looked like their son.
Tyler’s father also recognized the recovered rifle as one that had been given to Tyler as a gift. Text messages indicate that the rifle once belonged to Tyler’s grandfather.
Mr. Robinson reached out to his son, who told him that he intended to take his own life. Tyler’s parents convinced him to meet with them at their home, and during that conversation, he implied that he was the shooter.
When questioned by his parents about why he shot Charlie Kirk, Tyler responded, “There’s so much evil in the guy. He spreads too much hate.”
Tyler Robinson, accompanied by his parents and a family friend, turned himself in to the authorities.
Numerous text messages were retrieved from the devices of Robinson’s roommate in the days that followed. In those messages, Tyler admitted to the shooting and detailed the events leading up to it and the aftermath. He wrote of hiding his gun, changing clothing, his escape, and his desire to keep “the secret until I died of old age.”
Prior to listing the formal charges made against Robinson, Attorney Gray reminded viewers that Robinson is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, despite his admission.
Robinson is scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon by video from the Utah County Jail where he is being held.
