Charlie Kirk suspect Tyler Robinson makes stony-faced first court appearance as he’s charged with capital murder

By GERMANIA RODRIGUEZ POLEO, US CHIEF REPORTER and RACHEL BOWMAN, US NEWS REPORTER

Updated: 19:26 EDT, 16 September 2025

Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s murder, made his first court appearance today via Zoom after allegedly shooting and killing the conservative activist in Utah last week.

The 22-year-old appeared disheveled and expressionless as the judge read out the charges against him. He wore a suicide vest and spoke only to confirm his details during the hearing. 

Prosecutors filed capital murder charges against Robinson for the heinous murder of Charlie Kirk on Tuesday afternoon. 

Robinson allegedly shot and killed Kirk last week at Utah Valley University in a targeted political attack that shocked the nation.

He has been held without bail since his arrest, and it remained unclear whether he has an attorney. Authorities say Robinson held a ‘leftist ideology’ and may have been ‘radicalized’ online before he was arrested for killing the MAGA influencer.

Kirk, 31, was the co-founder of Turning Point USA and is credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping President Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.

Suspected assassin Tyler Robinson had been part of the furry community, the Daily Mail can reveal.

The 22-year-old was associated with a furry appreciation website and even purchased a game called ‘Furry Shades of Gay.’

‘He was associated with a furry appreciation website. Furries of course are people who enjoy dressing up like animals and they have animal personas and behave as often it is sexualized, and in this case it seems like it was a sexual thing for Tyler,’ Daily Mail reporter Josh Boswell revealed.

‘An account associated with him on the gaming platform Steam, purchased a game called Furry Shades of Gay, and let me just read you the description for that game:

‘Furry Shades of Gay is a game about love, queer relationships, hot gay sex and slapstick humour.’

Daily Mail reporters Germania Rodriguez and Josh Boswell break down the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

Tyler Robinson appears at court hearing

Tyler Robinson has appeared virtually at a court hearing in Utah Tuesday evening, when he answered to the charges against him.

Prosecutors also noted they have filed a protective order preventing Robinson from approaching Erika Kirk, Charlie’s wife, and said they are seeking the death penalty.

The suspect was seen repeatedly looking down, as he sat at the county jail wearing a green jumpsuit.

He spoke only once, to confirm his identity and sat stoically as the judge read the seven counts he faces – including the capital murder charge that could see him executed by firing squad.

Everything to know about Tyler Robinson’s indictment

The 22-year-old man accused of killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was officially indicted on Tuesday on seven criminal charges.

Here’s what you need to know:

Robinson allegedly killed Kirk, 31, because he was mad about the right-wing media star’s stances on gay and transgender rightsRobinson had been in a relationship with his transgender roommate, Lance Twiggs, who is cooperating with authoritiesTwiggs handed over a series of text messages in which Robinson allegedly admitted to killing KirkHe then allegedly asked Twiggs to delete the text exchangeFollowing the assassination, Robinson reportedly admitted to killing Kirk to his parents, saying: ‘There is too much evil, and the guy spreads too much hate’Robinson is now being held without bail at the Utah County Jail, where he is being kept under ‘special watch’ – a set of measures designed, in part, to keep an inmate from killing themselvesHe is facing charges of felony aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and two counts of witness tamperingProsecutors have said they intend to seek the death penaltyJudge Tony Graf granted a pre-trial request to issue Kirk’s wife Erika a protective order against RobinsonCharlie Kirk suspect Tyler Robinson’s thousand yard stare as he makes first court appearance on capital murder charges

Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin Tyler Robinson stared stonily at a screen as he made his first court appearance charged with the capital murder of the conservative star.

Robinson, 22, wore a suicide vest and unkempt facial hair as he appeared via video link before a court in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday afternoon.

He spoke only to confirm his details and gave a solemn nod as the short hearing closed.

Next hearing set for September 29

Robinson will be due back in court on September 29 for another virtual hearing, Judge Tony F. Graf announced.

In the meantime, he will be held without bail.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has made an apocalyptic prediction about the state of the nation in the wake of the political assassination of Charlie Kirk.

The former California governor, 78, has warned America could soon become a place where there is ‘no democracy’ as the divide between Democrats and Republicans deepens.

‘We have to be very careful that we don’t get closer to the cliff. Because when you fall down that cliff, down there, there is no democracy,’ he argued, speaking Monday night at the University of Southern California .

‘We have to be very, very careful. I think it is very important that we turn this around and that we show people power. Because the people can turn this around, the people have the ultimate power.’

A psychiatrist told the Daily Mail that while alleged shooter Tyler Robinson may have dabbled in politics, any decision to target Kirk was less about ideology and more about personal grievance.

Robinson allegedly told roommate he had planned shooting for ‘over a week’

Tyler Robinson allegedly told his roommate Lance Twiggs that he had planned the Charlie Kirk shooting for over a week, according to prosecutors.

Text messages read by Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray on Tuesday showed that Robinson’s roommate asked him how long he had planned the shooting.

‘A bit over a week,’ Robinson replied.

Actress Amanda Seyfried took her Instagram story on Monday, resharing a text post that read: ‘You can’t invite violence to the dinner table and be shocked when it starts eating.’

She also commented underneath a separate text post to describe Kirk as ‘hateful.’

Amanda has divided opinion since sharing her Instagram Story, with many social media users furious by her words.

What will come next for Tyler Robinson?

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray explained the next steps for the accused killer of Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, after his office filed seven charges against him.

The charges included aggravated murder, and Gray revealed he will seek the death penalty against Robinson.

‘Today at 3pm MT, the defendant will appear before a judge in the Utah Fourth District Court for his first appearance to be informed of these charges, and to ensure that he has an attorney to represent him. The hearing will be brief,’ Gray said.

After Tuesday’s hearing, Gray explained that Robinson will be entitled to a preliminary hearing.

‘At that hearing, the state will be required to show probable cause that the defendant committed the crimes, the prosecutor said.

‘The purpose of the preliminary hearing is not to determine guilt, but simply to assure the court that the prosecution has enough evidence to proceed to trial.

‘If a judge finds probable cause and binds the case over for trial, an arraignment hearing will be held. At that hearing, a judge will again inform defendant of the charges against him and require him to enter a plea to each charge.’

Prosecutors say bullet narrowly missed others

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray claimed the fatal bullet that killed Charlie Kirk narrowly missed others during the shooting at Utah Valley University.

‘Approximately 15 minutes into the event, Mr. Kirk was answering a question about mass shootings by transgender individuals when a gunshot rang out,’ Gray said.

‘The bullet struck Mr. Kirk in the neck. He slumped to the ground almost immediately.

‘The bullet’s trajectory trajectory passed closely to several other individuals beside Mr. Kirk, including the questioner who was standing directly in front of Mr Kirk. Children were visible near Mr. Kirk’s stage when he was shot.’

Suspected killer said college was ‘stupid venue’ for Charlie Kirk event

Utah County prosecutor Jeff Gray said Tyler Robinson told his family that Utah Valley University was a ‘stupid venue’ for a Charlie Kirk event before the shooting.

‘In one conversation before the shooting, Robinson mentioned that Charlie Kirk would be holding an event at UVU, which Robinson said was a stupid venue for the event,’ Gray said.

Tyler Robinson allegedly contemplated suicide

Officials said Charlie Kirk’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson, considered taking his own life after being confronted by his family.

‘Robinson implied that he planned to take his own life. Robinson’s parents were able to convince him to meet at their home,’ Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said.

‘As they discussed the situation, Robinson implied that he was the shooter and stated that he couldn’t go to jail and just wanted to end it.’

Robinson claimed messages on bullet casings were ‘a big meme,’ investigators say

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray read text messages allegedly sent by Tyler Robinson that claimed the engravings on the shell casings found with the rifle were a ‘big meme.’

‘Remember how I was engraving bullets?’ the message said.

‘The f*****g messages are mostly a big meme, if I see “notices bulge uwu” on fox new I might have a stroke.’

Charlie Kirk shooter allegedly used grandfather’s rifle

Prosecutors claimed Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, told his roommate that he used his grandfather’s gun to kill the conservative activist.

‘I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpa’s rifle,’ Robinson allegedly said over text.

‘I might have to abandon it and hope they don’t find prints. How the f**k will I explain losing it to my old man.’

Prosecutor emphasizes desire for a ‘fair and impartial trial’

Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray explained his reluctance to release information about the case is to ensure a fair trial.

‘I understand the public’s desire to know the facts. My own family members have pressed me for information,’ he told reporters.

‘Why are we reluctant to share the details of the investigation itself and comment on the case? Because I want to ensure a fair and impartial trial.’

Robinson allegedly left confession note for roommate

Tyler Robinson allegedly left a note for his roommate, who prosecutors describe as ‘a biological male who was was involved in a romantic relationship with Robinson.’

‘The roommate received a text message from Robinson which said: “Drop what you’re doing. Look under my keyboard,”‘ Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said.

‘The roommate looked under the keyboard and found a note that stated, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”‘

Robinson allegedly confessed to killing Kirk because he was ‘evil’ and ‘spreads too much hate’

Utah County Prosecutor Jeff Gray said Robinson told police that he shot Charlie Kirk because he was ‘evil.’

‘When asked why he did it, Robinson explained there is too much evil in the guy, referring to Charlie Kirk,’ Gray said.

Robinson allegedly told his roommate, ‘I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.’

Tyler Robinson’s mother identified him in photo shared by police, investigators claim

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said Tyler Robinson’ mother, Amber Robinson, identified her son in photos released by police after the shooting.

‘Robinson’s mother stated the following to police: On September 11th, 2025, the day after the shooting, Robinson’s mother saw the photo of the shooter in the news and thought the shooter looked like her son,’ Gray said.

‘Robinson’s mother called her son, and asked him where he was. He said he was at home sick and that he had also been at home home sick on September 10.

‘Robinson’s mother expressed concern to her husband that the suspect shooter looked like Robinson. Robinson’s father agreed.’

Amber allegedly told police that over the last year her son had become ‘more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-Gay and trans-rights oriented.’

She also said, ‘Robinson accused Kirk of spreading hate.’

Additionally, she said that Robinson had begun to date his roommate, who ‘was transitioning genders.’

Seven charges filed against Tyler Robinson

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced seven charges have been filed against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer.

Count one: aggravated murder, a capital offenseCount two: felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felonyCount three: obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, for moving and concealing the rifle used in the shootingCount four: obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, for disposing the clothing he wore during the shootingCount five: witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his roommate to delete his incriminating textCount six: witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his roommate to stay silent if police questioned himCount seven: commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child, a class A misdemeanor, for committing homicide knowing children were present, and may have seen or heard the murder, and did so based on Kirk’s political expressionRobinson ordered roommate to stay silent and deleted texts, prosecutors say

Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, was charged with two counts of witness tampering for ordering his roommate to keep quiet and delete any incriminating texts.

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray revealed the new information during a press conference in Orem, Utah, on Tuesday.

‘After shooting Mr. Kirk, Robinson told his roommate to delete incriminating text messages and not to talk to police,’ Gray said.

Prosecutors seek death penalty against alleged Kirk killer

Prosecutors filed seven charges against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, and confirmed they will be seeking the death penalty.

Robinson was charged with aggravated murder, which Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said is, ‘a capital offense for intentionally or knowingly causing the death of Charlie Kirk under circumstances that created a great risk of death to others.’

Gray also filed charges for felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.

‘Also, following the press conference, I am filing a Notice of Intent to seek the death penalty,’ Gray said.

‘I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney, based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime.’

Tyler Robinson charged with aggravated murder

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder, a capital offense, and said he would seek the death penalty.

‘A capital offense for intentionally or knowingly causing the death of Charlie Kirk under circumstances that created a great risk of death to others,’ Gray said.

Oklahoma schools ordered to hold moment of silence for Charlie Kirk

Oklahoma school superintendent Ryan Walters directed state schools to have a minute of silence in honor of Charlie Kirk on Tuesday.

‘Charlie Kirk encouraged a generation to speak freely, think critically, and debate openly,’ Walters said.

‘I have directed Oklahoma schools to take a minute of silence at noon in his honor. Join us—wherever you are.’

Police documents now claim Zinn – who has several prior arrests for trespassing – admitted to causing a distraction to keep law enforcement away from the shooter, now alleged to be 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer Tyler Robinson was turned in by his father after allegedly confessing to the crime.

His father, Matt Robinson, runs a family-owned construction company.

His mother, Amber Robinson, works for Intermountain Support Coordination Services, a company contracted by the state of Utah to help disabled people receive care.

The couple are registered Republicans, according to public records.

The family’s social media show Robinson, who has two younger brothers, enjoying vacations and sharing smiling selfies, including some celebrating the alleged killer getting into college.

He lives in a $600,000 six-bedroom home in Washington, Utah – about 260 miles south of Kirk’s assassination in Orem.

Pam Bondi blasted for hate speech gaffe

Attorney General Pam Bondi is under fire by the right for vowing to ‘target hate speech’ following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Bondi joined former White House official Katie Miller earlier this week for an interview, where she pledged to prosecute ‘hate speech’ violators no matter their political persuasion.

‘There’s free speech and then there’s hate speech, and there is no place, especially now, especially after what happened to Charlie, in our society,’ said Bondi.

‘We will absolutely target you, go after you if you are targeting anyone with hate speech, anything, and that’s across the aisle.’

Conservatives pounced on Bondi’s comments with some referring to the attorney general as ‘a moron.’

Who is Tyler Robinson’s roommate?

Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed that Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, was in a relationship with his transgender roommate, Lance Twiggs.

Cox confirmed Robinson’s roommate was his ‘romantic partner’ and that it is being probed as a possible motive into Kirk’s death.

‘Yes, definitely. And yes, I can confirm that. I know that has been reported and that the FBI has confirmed that as well, that the roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female,’ the governor said on CNN.

Twiggs, who has been ‘extremely cooperative’ with authorities, lived with Robinson and is said to have been ‘aghast’ when confronted by investigators over his lover’s alleged assassination plot.

Daily Mail previously revealed that Twiggs goes by several variations of the name ‘lancelotte’ on social media, including ‘lancelott3.’

An account on online forum Reddit with the username ‘lancelott3’ posted extensively in a group for transgender issues.

Further posts show that ‘lancelott3’ surprisingly supported anti-woke author Jordan Peterson.

Criminologist Dr. Scott Bonn told host Laura Coates on Monday that ‘while we don’t know the specific motive’ of alleged killer Tyler Robinson, 22, ‘I can almost guarantee you it’s rooted in rage in some way, and it’s highly specific.’

‘And I think Charlie Kirk represented something both personal to him as well as symbolic,’ Bonn speculated.

‘And he was striking out at things he had grown to hate and resent. And I’m talking about Christian conservatism and gun ownership.’

UCLA’s director of race and equity, Johnathan Perkins, was placed on leave over a series of posts on the BlueSky social media platform in which he appeared to claim he was ‘happy’ that Kirk was killed.

The posts described Kirk’s murder as a ‘good riddance’ and saw the author argue that it is acceptable not to mourn the MAGA influencer.

‘It is OKAY to be happy when someone who hated you and called for your people’s death dies – even if they are murdered,’ one post read. Another said: ‘You can’t force people to mourn someone who hates us – no matter how he died.’

Extreme security measures inside Utah jail for Kirk shooting suspect

The Utah County Sheriff’s Department has placed Tyler Robinson, 22, under ‘special watch’ – a set of measures designed, in part, to keep an inmate from hurting himself in custody.

Canadian lawmaker won’t be fired for vile Charlie Kirk rant

Manitoba Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine was told this week by Premier Wab Kinew that she could keep her job – so long as she apologizes for slamming Kirk in the wake of his assassination.

Fontaine took to Instagram after Kirk was killed in Utah and reshared a post that branded him a ‘a ‘racist, xenophobic, transphobic, Islamophobic, sexist, white nationalist mouthpiece.’

Who is Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination?

Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last week.

He was arrested late Thursday night after allegedly confessing to his father, Matt Robinson.

Authorities say Robinson held a ‘leftist ideology’ and may have been ‘radicalized’ online before he was arrested for killing the MAGA influencer.

Investigators are working on finding a motive for the attack, Utah’s governor said Sunday, adding that more information may come out once Robinson appears for his initial court hearing.

Cox said Robinson’s romantic partner was transgender, which some politicians have pointed to as a sign the suspect was targeting Kirk for his anti-transgender views. But authorities have not yet said whether that played a role.

While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they do say his family and friends have been talking.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency is investigating ‘a lot more than 20 users’ who were included in an online chat room with alleged Charlie Kirk assassin.

It was leaked last week that Tyler Robinson, 22, was involved in a Discord group chat that allegedly included messages plotting Kirk’s murder ahead of the attack on Utah Valley University’s campus on September 10, 2025.

Discord – a popular messaging platform among gamers – disputes these claims and insists its platform was not used for discussing the attack beforehand.

But Patel says his agency is investigating and interrogating dozens associated with the chat group.

‘We’re also going to be investigating anyone and everyone involved in that Discord chat,’ he said.

Sen. Josh Hawley said, ‘It sounds like you’re trying to run down all of that to see if that’s accurate.’

Patel replied, ‘It’s a lot more than that. We’re running them all down. It’s a lot more than 20.’

Beni Rae Harmony announced her resignation from ABC20 Springfield on Monday on social media, claiming she decided to do so after being punished for honoring her friend.

‘Effective immediately, I have resigned from WICS-ABC20 after being SUSPENDED for airing a non-partisan tribute to Charlie Kirk this past Friday,’ Harmony wrote on X alongside a clip of the tribute in question.

During her tribute to Kirk, Harmony spoke through tears as she revealed that the conservative commentator was her ‘first boss’ and ‘mentor.’

According to her LinkedIn, Harmony was a producer and administrator for Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, from August 2021 until February 2022.

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect will appear in court for the first time today

Charlie Kirk’s accused assassin Tyler Robinson will make his first court appearence today.

Prosecutors in Utah County are considering several charges against Robinson, the most serious being aggravated murder because it could bring the death penalty if there is a conviction.

Once charges are filed, Robinson is scheduled to appear on camera for a virtual court hearing.

He has been held without bail since his arrest, and it remains unclear whether he has an attorney.

Questions arise over Tyler Robinson’s father ‘claiming reward’ for turning in his own son

Questions have started to grow over whether Tyler Robinson’s father, Matt Robinson, claimed the over $1 million reward for turning in his own son to the FBI.

As authorities searched for the gunman who fled the scene of the shooting on Wednesday, the FBI offered a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the killer, and billionaire Bill Ackman offered to add $1,000,000 to the pot.

Robinson was taken into custody on Thursday night in southern Utah after having allegedly confessed to his father, Matt Robinson.

Matt, who runs a family-owned construction company, then contacted authorities and secured his son before he could be taken into custody.

After the news broke, Ackman vowed to uphold his commitment on X, writing, ‘Yes, we will pay the reward if it is earned to whomever the FBI indicates provided the information that led to Tyler’s arrest.

‘First, in order for rewards to be effective in finding criminals, the rewards need to be paid even if the recipient is a crook or worse. That said, in this case, if Tyler’s father is found to have been involved or otherwise acted negligently in contributing to Charlie’s death, civil litigation or criminal prosecution will reverse any unjust compensation.

‘I have also seen reports which suggest that Tyler’s family intends to waive its right to any reward.’

It is unclear whether the FBI has determined that the reward is to be given and whether Robinson’s family would accept it.

The FBI is investigating social media posts believed to have been made by transgender users who appeared to predict Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting weeks before it happened, according to sources.

‘itd be funny if someone like charlie kirk got shot on september 10th LMAO,’ an X account user named @TallyHallAlbum, posted on September 3.

They went on to appear to make a threat on the President’s life, adding: ‘Donald Trump. December 14th.’

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect didn’t look out of place… until Utah family checked the footage again

The Utah homeowners who captured Charlie Kirk’s shooter on their neighborhood surveillance camera has spoken out for the first time to ABC4 on the condition of anonymity.

The family, who have lived on the street for decades, captured Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson walking across the road in front of their home before the massacre at Utah Valley University occured.

‘We believe that right before the shooting happened, this is how he entered the college,’ he said.

‘When I looked at my camera, and I first had seen the guy limping, I thought, oh, there’s something wrong with that guy’s leg. I didn’t think nothing of it, but then when my son went through our camera, he noticed it, and he picked up on it right away’ he continued.

He said the shooting profoundly affected the quiet neighborhood where students regularly walk by to get to class.

The camera caught the suspect a second time after the shooting happened, which prompted the neighbor to hand over the footage to ATF, who passed it on to the to the FBI and the SBI.

‘It shows him in that field, because I believe he probably popped up over there, come up the hill from where we feel that the gun was dropped,’ he said of the second post-shooting clip.

‘He ran up there, run over the hill and then run down that path, that dirt path, and that’s where we see him right here, is in the field,’ he explained, pointing and gesturing to the areas he was speaking about.

Jamie Lee Curtis sobs over murder of Charlie Kirk as she compares him to JESUS

Outspoken liberal actress Jamie Lee Curtis broke down in tears as she mourned Charlie Kirk as a ‘man of faith’ and compared him to Jesus Christ.

The Oscar winner grew emotional in an appearance this week on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, saying she wanted to bring up Kirk’s assassination ‘because it’s front of mind.’

Curtis initially referred to Kirk as ‘Charlie Crist‘ – confusing him for the former Florida governor – but corrected herself as she said: ‘I just call him Crist, I think, because of Christ, because of his deep belief.’

FBI reveals Charlie Kirk ‘assassin’s’ ‘justification’ for targeting MAGA star

Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer justified his actions by saying ‘some hatred cannot be negotiated with’, the FBI Director has revealed.

‘I will say what was found in terms of information, a text message exchange, where the suspect specifically stated he had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and he was gonna do that,’ Patel told Fox News.

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Charlie Kirk suspect Tyler Robinson makes stony-faced first court appearance as he’s charged with capital murder