Utah County Attorney General Jeff Gray said Tuesday that the state will seek the death penalty against the man accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk last week at a university event, announcing seven state charges including aggravated murder.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested Thursday for Kirk’s assassination. The conservative activist’s death jolted the nation, reigniting concerns about rising political violence in the U.S., while also prompting partisan finger-pointing over what was to blame.
“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said at a press conference.
“Charlie Kirk was murdered while engaging in one of our most sacred and cherished American rights, the bedrock of our democratic republic: the free exchange of ideas in a search for truth, understanding and a more perfect union,” he added.
On top of the murder charge, Robinson faces counts of felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
Gray said the state is further alleging aggravating factors on the murder and firearm charges because Robinson is believed to have “targeted” Kirk based on his political expression and did so knowing that children were present.
President Trump has called for the death penalty in the wake of Kirk’s killing, but Gray said the decision was one he made “independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime.”
Robinson’s first court appearance took place virtually later Tuesday.
Judge Tony Graf said an attorney would be appointed to represent Robinson because he can’t afford one. He ordered the defendant to remain in custody without bail and set the next hearing in the case for Sept. 29.
The judge also granted a pretrial protective order on behalf of Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, which bars Robinson from contacting her in any manner. Robinson, who appeared from Utah County Jail by video, nodded along throughout the hearing.
Prosecutor Chad Grunander notified the court that the state filed its formal notice of intent to seek the death penalty.
Seeking the death penalty triggers a lengthy legal process that will include a two-part trial, where a jury would be tasked not only with determining Robinson’s guilt, but also whether the facts of the case make him eligible for execution.
Robinson otherwise faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while giving a talk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, last week. While answering an audience member’s question about gun violence, a single bullet struck his neck. Graphic video clips of the shooting spread on social media, amplifying the violent act.
Gray said the bullet’s trajectory passed “closely” by other people, including the person questioning Kirk at a microphone directly in front of him.
The founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk is widely credited with helping Trump take back the White House in 2024 by harnessing conservative youth. His supporters have hailed him as a martyr.
Robinson was taken into custody after a 33-hour search that involved the review of 11,000 different tips, law enforcement said last week. He was tracked down after implying involvement to his father, who contacted a family friend, who then told authorities. Gray said Robinson’s mother identified him in photos released by authorities.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) said at a news conference last week that Robinson became “more political” in the lead-up to the shooting, telling family members at one point that he was aware of Kirk’s upcoming visit to Utah and believed the influencer was “spreading hate.”
Investigators found bullet casings engraved with messaging that seemed to reference internet meme culture and anti-fascist efforts. Court filings last week also referenced conversations Robinson allegedly had with his roommate about needing to recover a rifle he left wrapped in a towel in a bush.
In those exchanges, Robinson said “I am” the person who shot Kirk and explained that the rifle he allegedly used belonged to his grandfather, according to the charging papers filed Tuesday.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on “Fox & Friends” on Monday that the agency collected DNA evidence linking Robinson to a towel used to wrap the rifle allegedly used in Kirk’s killing and a screwdriver found at the scene.
Robinson and the roommate he corresponded with were in a romantic relationship, Cox said. The Utah governor confirmed the roommate is transgender but cautioned that Robinson’s motive is not yet clear, noting the roommate has been “very cooperative” with law enforcement.
On Tuesday, Gray declined to say whether the roommate would face charges.
Officials have publicly speculated that Robinson was “radicalized” online and holds a “leftist ideology.”
The Washington Post reported that Robinson allegedly confessed to fatally shooting Kirk in an online Discord chat group. The 22-year-old has no prior convictions, according to a public safety assessment report.
After detailing the evidence against Robinson, Gray emphasized that the allegations are only that. He said he wants to ensure a “fair and impartial trial.”
“These are allegations, and like the evidence set forth in this statement, those allegations — what you’ve heard from the media, even from state and federal officials — have not been tested in the crucible of a jury trial,” Gray said.
Kirk’s assassination was the latest in a string of attacks against prominent political figures of both parties in recent years, including two attempts on Trump’s life and the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) in June.
Updated at 5:39 p.m. EDT