Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of assassinating Trump ally Charlie Kirk during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem last September.

Updated on: Sep 2, 2026, 06:33:59 IST

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Tyler Robinson has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges against him in connection with the alleged murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to reports.

The plea comes after a Utah judge ruled that Robinson must stand trial on the charges, including aggravated murder, The Guardian reported.

Robinson, 23, is accused of assassinating Kirk during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem on September 10, 2025. Prosecutors allege he fired a rifle from a rooftop and hit Kirk in the neck from hundreds of feet away.

Kirk was a co-founder of Turning Point USA and a prominent conservative political activist and a Donald Trump ally. He was killed while speaking before a crowd at the university.

Prosecutors presented sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial, fourth district Judge Tony Graf ruled. The decision followed a preliminary hearing in July and closing arguments on Tuesday, as per AP.

Death penalty remains possible

The aggravated murder charge carries the possibility of a death sentence under Utah law. Prosecutors have said they intend to pursue the death penalty. They say the shooting endangered people attending the event, as per a Reuters report.

The defence has challenged that argument, saying Robinson fired a single shot at Kirk and that prosecutors have not shown he intended to put others at risk. His lawyers have also disputed parts of the prosecution's evidence and alleged political motive.

During the preliminary proceedings, prosecutors presented surveillance footage, DNA evidence they say connected Robinson to the rifle, messages and other material they said point to his involvement in the killing. They also alleged that Robinson made statements acknowledging the shooting.

What happened the day Kirk was shot

Kirk was speaking at an outdoor Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University before a crowd of more than 3,000 people. Prosecutors allege Robinson positioned himself on a rooftop roughly 400 feet away and fired a single shot that hit Kirk in the neck.

Surveillance footage allegedly showed a person prosecutors identified as Robinson entering the campus wearing a dark shirt, baseball cap and large sunglasses. Investigators said his gait appeared unusual because he was hiding a rifle, earlier.

The rifle left near the scene

Investigators recovered a bolt-action .30-06 rifle in a wooded area near the university. It had been wrapped in a towel and was found with a spent cartridge still associated with it.

Investigators said Robinson's DNA was found on the rifle/towel and on a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop. Prosecutors later presented additional DNA evidence involving the weapon and cartridges, AP reported.

Marks in the bullet casings

Investigators found four cartridges with messages engraved on them, according to the September 2025 charging information. They were-

“NoTices Bulge OWO What's This?”

“Hey Facist! Catch!” followed by arrow symbols.

“O Bella ciao, Bella ciao Bella ciao Ciao, ciao!” Bella Ciao is an Italian song strongly associated with anti-fascist resistance.

“If you Read This, You Are GAY Lmao.”

Robinson allegedly said the engravings were “mostly a big meme,” earlier.

The bullet-ballistics twist

In 2026, an ATF analysis found that the bullet fragment recovered from Charlie Kirk’s body could not be conclusively linked to the rifle allegedly used by Tyler Robinson, as per PBS.

That said, a spent casing found at the scene was matched to the rifle.

The handwritten note

Prosecutors say Robinson left a handwritten note for his roommate, Lance Twiggs, before the shooting. The note allegedly said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it.”

According to prosecutors, Robinson later instructed Twiggs to look underneath his keyboard and find the note, earlier.

When Twiggs asked Robinson directly whether he had killed Kirk, Robinson allegedly responded, “I am. I'm sorry," according to the charging documents.

Robinson allegedly then explained why he did it, saying he had “had enough of his hatred” and that “some hate can't be negotiated out,” Reuters reported last year.

The Discord message

Investigators also obtained a message from an online chat room that prosecutors attributed to Robinson. It allegedly said, “it was me at UVU yesterday” and indicated that he was about to surrender.

Twiggs later gave investigators a recorded interview. Twiggs said Robinson told him the day after the shooting that he wished he hadn't done it. Twiggs also reportedly said Robinson had not previously talked to him about killing Kirk, according to evidence presented in court.

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