Utah files murder charges against Tyler Robinson

Tyler Robinson, the man accused of fatally shooting conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, was charged with aggravated murder and other counts, in a case in which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” said Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray at a press conference on Tuesday. “Charlie Kirk was murdered while engaging in one of our most sacred and cherished American rights.”

Authorities have also charged Robinson with firearm counts and multiple obstruction of justice charges for allegedly disposing of clothes he wore during the shooting. He is accused of directing his roommate to delete incriminating messages and not speak with investigators after Kirk was killed.

Robinson used his grandfather’s bolt-action rifle, according to the charging documents, which indicate Robinson wrapped the gun in a towel and placed it in a wooded area near the Utah campus.

Robinson’s mother told investigators that Robinson had in recent months become “more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented,” according to the court papers.

Investigators interviewed Robinson’s roommate, who was not identified by name. Authorities say the roommate was a male transitioning to female with whom Robinson had been romantically involved.

The roommate received a text message from Robinson the day of the shooting, according to authorities, that read: “drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard.”

When the roommate did, a note was found that stated: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

Robinson allegedly told his roommate: “I had enough of his hatred,” referring to Kirk. “Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

Robinson, 22, is expected to make his first court appearance later Tuesday. After a 33-hour manhunt, authorities arrested Robinson, who is being held without bail at the Utah County Jail.

Since Robinson was apprehended, speculation has filled the void of hard information about his exact motive, but officials have suggested he was politically motivated.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said on Sunday that Robinson held beliefs consistent with a “leftist ideology.” According to Cox, Robinson was radicalized “in a fairly short amount of time” following him dropping out of college after one semester and moving back to his hometown of Washington, Utah, a southwestern pocket of the state known for its red rock landscape and proximity to Zion National Park.

Robinson, according to Cox, had been living with a romantic partner whom Cox said was “shocked” upon finding out about the shooting at a campus event where Kirk appeared to debate students at Utah Valley University, about four hours from where Robinson lived.

Cox said the partner has become the subject of intense focus considering Kirk’s disdain for transgender rights. But authorities have not zeroed in on what particular political positions are believed to have motivated Robinson to kill.

Investigators say Robinson is what some would call chronically online, a person who spends an inordinate amount of time on messaging platforms, social media and playing video games.

Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Cox said Robinson navigated “that deep dark internet, the Reddit culture, and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep.”

Investigators recovered bullet casings found in the rifle believed to be Robinson’s that include inscriptions referencing edgy internet memes and jokes in the gaming community that would be indecipherable to anyone not steeped in those subcultures.

Other inscriptions included “hey fascist! CATCH!” and “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!” a famous, old Italian anti-facist anthem.

President Trump is set to attend Kirk’s funeral in Arizona on Sunday. Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika and their two children, ages 1 and 3.

Turning Point USA, a conservative youth political organization Kirk co-founded that is active on more than 3,000 college campuses, says Kirk’s “American Comeback” tour will continue, with the next event slated for Colorado State University in Fort Collins on Thursday. 

Since Kirk’s death, a debate has raged about how best to remember a divisive figure who often pushed extreme views but who was an organizing powerhouse and helped mobilize young voters to the polls for Trump.

Kirk leaned into provocative conservative positions on issues like abortion, the death penalty, race, gay and transgender rights. Just before a single shot from 140 yards away struck him in the neck, 31-year-old Kirk was answering a question about the prevalence of transgender perpetrators in mass shootings.