New details have emerged in the assassination of Charlie Kirk by suspect Tyler Robinson following the alleged shooter’s apprehension by authorities.
On Sept. 10, Kirk was speaking to a large crowd of students at Utah Valley University (UVU) when Robinson allegedly shot him in the neck, killing the Christian conservative political commentator.
It took authorities days to find and apprehend Robinson, who was arrested after sharing details of the crime with his friends and family.
Here’s what we know about the attack.
According to a document charging Robinson with multiple crimes related to the attack, Robinson arrived on campus from the north at 11:51 a.m. local time, approximately 25 minutes before the shooting.
He allegedly “[kept] his head down and rarely [raised] his head enough to get a clear image of his face.”
He walked with “an unusual gait,” walking in a way which authorities say is “consistent with a rifle being hidden in his pants.”
Robinson crossed campus to the Losee Center, a multi-tiered building near the middle of campus. He hoisted himself onto the building and ran to its southern side, setting up in a position around 160 yards from Kirk.
Kirk was sitting in the center of an amphitheater-like area and taking questions from the audience.
While Kirk was answering a question, a single shot rang out, and Kirk was struck in the neck.
An officer quickly identified the Losee Center as a possible perch for the assassination, but Robinson had already fled by the time the officer arrived. Video footage shows Robinson running diagonally from the southern side of the building to a shorter drop on the building’s northern side.
After he dropped off of the roof, Robinson allegedly cached the weapon and ammunition used in the attack in a small wooded area just northeast of the Losee Center. Forensic processing has found Robinson’s DNA on the rifle, ammunition, and towel.
According to authorities, Robinson—accompanied by his parents and a friend—went to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to turn himself in on the evening of Sept. 11.
That followed a manhunt that had lasted 33 hours, with authorities offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Shortly after the shooting, investigators began to share photos of the suspected assassin.
Robinson’s mother told police that when she saw these photos, she thought the suspect resembled her son. Concerned, she called Robinson, who told her that he had been home sick.
Robinson’s mother raised her concerns with her husband, and he agreed that the suspect resembled their son. He also thought the rifle was similar to one given to his son.
Robinson’s father called him to discuss the situation.
Robinson initially implied that he would rather commit suicide than turn himself in; however, he was eventually persuaded to come to their home, and from there to turn himself in.
According to the charging document, members of Robinson’s family said Robinson had become more political in the months leading up to the shooting, “becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.”
In that time, he had begun to date his roommate, a male who identifies as a transgender female.
Before the shooting, Robinson allegedly accused Kirk of spreading hate.
When his parents asked “why he did it, Robinson explained there is too much evil and [Kirk] spreads too much hate.”
Robinson said in messages to his roommate that he had planned the attack “a bit over a week,” according to the charging document.
Robinson on Sept. 10 told the roommate to look underneath a keyboard in Robinson’s room. Lying there was a note which allegedly read, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
When the roommate inquired whether Robinson was the one who had killed Kirk, Robinson replied, “I am, I’m sorry.”
Though Robinson asked his roommate not to speak to police, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said the individual has been “very cooperative” with investigators.
“What we have learned specifically is that this person did not have any knowledge, was shocked when they found out about it,” Cox said Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
In the charging document, authorities announced that Robinson would be charged with seven different counts.
That includes one count of aggravated murder, one count of felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice related to efforts to hide evidence, two counts of witness tampering related to his efforts to have his roommate stay silent, and one charge related to having carried out the crime in the presence of children.
At a Tuesday hearing, a judge noted that several of the charges are eligible for enhanced sentencing if jurors rule that Robinson committed the crime on the basis of political motives.
Robinson’s charges make him eligible for the death penalty, and Utah authorities have made clear that they intend to pursue the maximum penalty in the case.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray formally filed for the death penalty on Tuesday, precluding Robinson from bail.
Speaking about the capital nature of the case, Gray said, “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.”
—Joseph Lord
BOOKMARKS
The Georgia Supreme Court will not hear an appeal by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis after she was disqualified from prosecuting Donald Trump for election interference. Willis was removed from the case after it emerged that she had a romantic relationship with one of her special prosecutors.
Experts recommended banning solar geoengineering—which sometimes means spraying reflective chemicals into the atmosphere—at a congressional hearing on weather manipulation on Tuesday. The practice is meant to curb global warming, but the Environmental Protection Agency says the long-term effects are still not understood.
For the first time, visitors to The National Archives will be able to view the entire U.S. Constitution, including the amendments. The docs will only be on display for two weeks, so check out Travis Gillmore’s report for details and a link to reserve a ticket.
The House GOP has released a short-term funding bill that will keep the government running through Nov. 21—but not everyone is on board. Check out Jackson Richman’s latest report to see where some lawmakers stand.
FBI Director Kash Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee that his team is looking into 1700 domestic terrorism cases, “a large chunk of which are nihilistic violent extremism.” Look at Jack Phillips’s latest report for more details.
—Stacy Robinson
