Local prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week at a university campus in Utah.
During a press conference on Tuesday announcing the charges, Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray said the state will be charging Robinson with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm and multiple counts of witness tampering and obstruction of justice for his alleged efforts to evade arrest after the shooting.
“I do not take this decision lightly,” Gray said about his intent to seek the death penalty. “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.”
Gray said Robinson will continue to be held without bail at the Utah County Jail.
Trending
At a virtual court appearance Tuesday evening, Utah Judge Tony Graf approved the state’s request for a pretrial order of protection for Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.
Robinson, who is facing 25 years to life in prison with the possibility of the death sentence, will be held without bail until the court’s next hearing scheduled for Sept. 29.
The county attorney also outlined a slew of new evidence in the case, including the results of interviews with Robinson’s family and friends, as well as text messages he allegedly sent following the deadly shooting last Wednesday.
During interviews with Robinson’s mother, Gray said she shared that her son had “become more political and started to lean more to the left becoming more pro-gay and trans rights oriented.”
“She stated that Robinson began to date his roommate, a biological male who is transitioning genders,” Gray said.
Robinson’s roommate is cooperating with the investigation. Text messages between the two allegedly show Robinson confessing that he planned the shooting a week in advance.
“Why did I do it?” Robinson is accused of writing in a text to his roommate. “Because I’ve had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
The text messages allegedly show Robinson was in communication with several people and followed news coverage in the moments after the shooting, expressing concern after officials arrested and then released two other suspects.
“They grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in similar clothing,” Robinson wrote to his roommate, according to the 10-page criminal complaint.
“Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still,” another text from Robinson read. “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
According to the report, officials discovered a photograph of a handwritten note Robinson left for his roommate two days prior to the shooting that read, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
A frantic, 36-hour search for the shooter commenced after the deadly shot rang out across Utah Valley University’s campus in Orem, Utah, officials said. It ended Friday when Robinson confessed to his father, who contacted law enforcement officials.
Gray said officials used security cameras to follow Robinson off campus into a wooded area, where they later retrieved the weapon, a Mauser 98 .30-06 caliber rifle, along with engraved bullet casings inscribed with internet memes and anti-fascist messages including, “Hey Fascist! Catch!”
Robinson also worried in the alleged text messages to his roommate about how law enforcement and the public would react to the meme phrases.
“The fuckin messages are mostly a big meme, if I see ‘notices bulge uwu’ on fox new [sic] I might have a stroke,” he wrote, according to authorities.
Author
