Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah University, was charged on Tuesday (September 16, 2025) with aggravated murder.

The charge means Robinson could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Kirk last week at Utah Valley University in Orem, about 64 km south of Salt Lake City.

“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said in announcing the charges. He said Robinson’s DNA was found on trigger of the gun used to kill Kirk.

Kirk was gunned down on September 10 as he spoke with students and died soon after. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby campus building.

A Utah Valley University police officer was watching the crowd from an “elevated position” and identified the roof of the Losee Center as a potential position for a shooter, Mr. Gray said. The officer found evidence on the roof immediately, he said, and spurred officers to direct their attention to surveillance video leading to the roof.

Robinson, 22, also was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. He was scheduled to appear on camera for a virtual court hearing Tuesday (September 16, 2025) afternoon.

It was unclear whether Robinson had an attorney who could speak on his behalf, and his family has declined to comment to The Associated Press.

Robinson was arrested late Thursday (September 11, 2025) near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up.

Investigators have spoken to Robinson’s relatives and carried out a search warrant at his family’s home in Washington, Utah, about 390 km southwest of where the shooting happened.

Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organisations.

He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics. His shooting raised fears about increasing political violence in a deeply polarised United States.

While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking. Utah Governor Spencer Cox said over the weekend that those who know Robinson say his politics shifted left in recent years and he spent a lot of time in the “dark corners of the internet”.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday (September 15, 2025) on the Fox News Channel show “Fox & Friends” that DNA evidence has linked Robinson to a towel wrapped around a rifle found near the Utah Valley campus and a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where the fatal shot was fired.

Before the shooting, Robinson wrote in a note that he had an opportunity to take out Kirk and was going to do it, according to Mr. Patel.

The FBI also is looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson, Mr. Patel said Tuesday (September 16, 2025) during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said.

“We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Mr. Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.

Investigators are working on finding a motive for the attack, Utah’s Governor said Sunday (September 14, 2025), adding that more information may come out once Robinson appears for his initial Court hearing.

Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said Monday (September 15, 2025) that Robinson’s partner has been cooperative. He said investigators believe Robinson acted alone during the shooting, but they also are looking at whether anyone knew of his plans beforehand.

Editorial | Divided state: On the U.S., a fractured polity

In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.

Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticised him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonoured him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.

Published – September 17, 2025 12:39 am IST

Utah Governor Spencer Cox said the accused gunman, Tyler Robinson (22), would be formally charged on September 16, 2025 and till then he remains in custody in Utah. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters