Suspected Charlie Kirk Assassin To Make First Court Appearance, Placed On ‘Special Watch’
The 22-year-old man suspected of assassinating conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk is set to appear in court Tuesday afternoon, as authorities place him under heightened security amid ongoing concerns about his mental state and potential suicide risk.
Tyler Robinson, who allegedly gunned down Kirk during a campus event at Utah Valley University last week, has been placed on “special watch” status inside a separate housing unit to allow for close monitoring, according to CBS News. Jail officials say the move is meant to ensure Robinson does not harm himself ahead of what could be a capital murder trial.
Formal charges are expected to be filed Tuesday before Robinson’s 3:00 p.m. MT court appearance. The Utah County Attorney’s Office confirmed that a noon press conference will be held to announce the charges, which include aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury. If convicted of aggravated murder, Robinson would be eligible for the death penalty under Utah law.
Investigators say Robinson fired a single round from a bolt-action rifle, hitting Kirk in the neck while the conservative activist was speaking outdoors in a university courtyard. The shot was traced to the roof of a nearby campus building. Surveillance footage showed a figure moving on the rooftop before and after the gunshot, and later jumping down and fleeing.
A rifle wrapped in a towel was later found in a wooded area near the scene. According to FBI Director Kash Patel, DNA recovered from both the towel and a screwdriver found on the rooftop matched Robinson. Authorities arrested the suspect 33 hours after the attack, following a tip from a family acquaintance — a youth minister and U.S. Marshal — who intervened after Robinson allegedly confessed and expressed suicidal thoughts.
The motive remains under investigation, but Utah Governor Spencer Cox and President Donald Trump have both pointed to far-left extremism. “It’s very clear to us and to the investigators that this was a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology,” Cox said.
Trump echoed those sentiments Monday, telling reporters that Robinson appeared to have been “radicalized online” and warning that left-wing online subcultures are “a serious and growing threat.”
Investigators revealed that Robinson, who lived with a transgender roommate, had discussed his disdain for Kirk during a family dinner shortly before the assassination. Authorities believe he may have been influenced by online communities and personal relationships that drove his growing political extremism.
Further evidence came in the form of a disturbing online confession. Just hours before his arrest, Robinson reportedly messaged a small group on Discord: “Hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of this.” The message has since been turned over to law enforcement by Discord.
Robinson remains held without bail. His arraignment Tuesday marks the beginning of what is expected to be a closely watched legal and political saga, as the country continues to reel from the assassination of one of its most influential conservative voices.