Suspect in Kirk killing charged with aggravated murder as prosecutor says DNA found on gun trigger

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JESSE BEDAYN, HANNAH SCHOENBAUM and JOHN SEEWER
Updated 3:25 PM CDT, September 16, 2025

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”

DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, said Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said in announcing the charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.

The prosecutor said Robinson wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.

“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-tyler-robinson-court-death-penalty-f541df08a936e06497ee2342296bc398

[twodogsbarking]

1. He took Qs at the end. Not sure if he even answered one. He did reach (by jumping) a lot of conclusions.

He came to the fork you in the road and took the right one.

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. 'American tragedy'

[RazorbackExpat]

13. The only "American tragedy" in this

is that the Maganutz are trying to canonize this hatemonger and blame his death on people who had absolutely nothing to do with it

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. No explanation there what "aggravated murder" means in Utah. The only part of the statute I can see

that might be applied is

"the actor knowingly created a great risk of death to another individual other than the deceased individual and the actor"

https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter5/76-5-S202.html

Anyone else see anything there for this charge?

[SickOfTheOnePct]

4. They listed three things I think

Risk to other individuals, targeting based on political beliefs, and presence of children (this was in addition to the separate charge about crime in the presence of children)

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. OK; there seems nothing like that in the law about children or politics

The only mention of children is in connection with serious crimes in which a child is a victim. The only mention of politics is when targeting a law enforcement officer "in furtherance of political or social objectives in order to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or to influence or affect the conduct of a government or a unit of government".

It seems they're going to have to say "he was not a well-prepared assassin - he just got lucky to kill his target with his first shot" to keep the claim of risk to others up, and that goes against the "he carefully planned this" narrative.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

6. I think it...

…it would be pretty easy to hold that part up…he could have planned it well, but someone could have moved at the last second and been injured…or it could have gone through Charlie Kirk and hit someone else.

[LeftInTX]

10. Affidavit of Probable Cause

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26090603-robinson-affidavit-of-probable-cause/

Different states have different wording.

AI says (because I don't have time to research)

Aggravated murder is a classification of homicide that includes additional factors that make the crime more severe than a standard murder charge. Specific definitions and penalties for aggravated murder vary significantly among different states and jurisdictions. It is often a capital crime, meaning it can be punishable by the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

I don't think we have that in Texas.

I'm thinking this is probably first degree murder

[IbogaProject]

7. He fired into a group

And often first degree or aggrivated is the charge for premeditated.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. But the law is not about 'premeditated' at all.

Did he fire into a group? I think Kirk was fairly well separated from others - about 8 feet from the nearest person on the stage, and on a stage, so raised from the crowd ( https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/video-shows-the-moment-charlie-kirk-was-shot-247310405708 has video up to the moment before he was shot)

[IbogaProject]

9. Those subtleties are based on Utah Criminal Case law

There is likely a standard derived from previous cases which the statute may be missing.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

11. 8 feet away is not a lot...

…and it isn’t just about far away they are, it’s about whether or not someone could step into the path of the bullet.

[LudwigPastorius]

12. The DA seems to be using this part of the affidavit to justify the aggravated murder charge.

the event was attended by hundreds of individuals. Charles was surrounded by people, with multiple individuals to his left, right, and rear, and front of the canopy. Behind the canopy was a walkway used for access to various parts of the university

He was aiming at Kirk, but there was no way for Robinson to know that he wouldn't have killed someone else if he missed since he couldn't see who was behind the tent.

[Deminpenn]

14. After this presser by the DA, don't

see how Robinson can get a fair trial anywhere in Utah.

[travelingthrulife]

15. Did they also charge him with being a sudden liberal?