Prosecutors announced on Tuesday that Tyler Robinson faces charges of aggravated murder, as they disclosed text messages he purportedly sent following the shooting, in which he allegedly confessed.
A message sent to his roommate, identified by investigators as his romantic partner, reportedly showed Robinson stating about Kirk: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
The 22-year-old Robinson faces a total of seven charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
Robinson stands accused of fatally shooting Kirk with a single round from 200 yards away on Sept. 10, while the conservative figure addressed hundreds at Utah Valley University. His arrest concluded a 33-hour manhunt, prompted by his parents’ persuasion to surrender.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray confirmed at a press conference in Utah County that prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty.
“I do not make this decision lightly; it is one I have reached independently as county attorney, based entirely on the evidence, circumstances, and nature of the crime,” Gray stated.
Gray further asserted, “The murder of Charlie Kirk constitutes an American tragedy. Charlie Kirk was killed while exercising one of our most fundamental and revered American rights, which forms the cornerstone of our democratic republic: the free exchange of ideas and the pursuit of truth, understanding, and a more perfect union.”
Following the disclosure of charges, Gray publicly read text messages that he indicated investigators had recovered from Robinson’s partner’s phone, purportedly containing his confession to the homicide. Utah Governor Spencer Cox had previously stated over the weekend that Robinson’s roommate was providing full cooperation to investigators.
Robinson texted his partner, “Drop what you’re doing. Look under my keyboard,” leading to his partner discovering a note from Robinson which read, “I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”
When his partner inquired if he was responsible for shooting Kirk, Robinson admitted, “I am, I’m sorry…I am still okay, my love…To be honest, I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
Asked about his motive for shooting Kirk, Robinson responded, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out. If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence.”
According to messages released by prosecutors, he claimed to have planned the shooting for “a bit over a week.”
Robinson also provided an explanation for the obscure engravings discovered on bullet casings.
“Remember how I was engraving bullets? The f****** messages are mostly a big meme, if I see ‘notices bulge uwu’ on fox new I might have a stroke,” he remarked, referencing one of the engravings.
Robinson instructed his roommate to refrain from speaking with the media and to request legal counsel if interrogated by law enforcement.
Gray also disclosed the crucial part played by Robinson’s parents in solving the case.
Robinson’s mother, upon seeing images of the suspect televised, was the first to voice concerns that her son could be the perpetrator. After discussing it with her husband, they both concurred that the images matched his appearance. The day after the shooting, Robinson’s mother telephoned him, inquiring about his activities, to which Robinson responded that he was home sick and had also been ill at home the previous day, Sept. 10th.
Gray noted that when law enforcement released a description of the firearm used in the crime, and it corresponded to a rifle Robinson’s father had gifted him, the father requested his son send a photograph of the weapon. Robinson did not reply.
During their subsequent phone conversation, Robinson confessed to the crime and suggested to his father an intention to end his life. Robinson’s parents succeeded in persuading him to meet at their residence, where he again intimated his involvement as the shooter. Ultimately, they convinced him to speak with a family friend, a retired deputy sheriff, who then persuaded Robinson to surrender to authorities.
The killing of Kirk and its aftermath have exacerbated deep national divisions. This has prompted plans directed at leftwing groups by the Trump Administration, alongside threats to prosecute “hate speech.”
On Monday, Utah’s Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason stated that authorities suspect Robinson acted without assistance, though efforts are underway to ascertain if anyone had prior knowledge of his intentions.
The conclusions drawn by investigators regarding Robinson’s motivations could extend far beyond his criminal proceedings. Following the attack, Trump and his administration have vowed severe repercussions for the “radical left,” which he asserted bears “direct responsibility for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.”
Kirk emerged as a prominent figure among conservative young people, achieving national recognition at the onset of the Trump era. He played a pivotal role in mobilizing youth support for Trump’s presidential campaigns, leveraging campus events to expand his organization, Turning Point USA, which secured tens of millions of dollars for the president’s 2024 bid.
Kirk established Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18, conceiving it as a conservative counter to liberal organizing platforms. He garnered a following of millions across diverse platforms, recognized for his contentious political and social perspectives on issues such as race, gun violence, and immigration.
Kirk sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the neck while addressing university students in Orem, Utah, during one of his numerous college-campus debates.
Videos depicting Kirk’s killing have been widely shared online and across social media platforms including X and TikTok. Numerous individuals have faced criticism for expressing celebratory reactions to the killing online.
