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The 22-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk has been formally charged with aggravated murder and six other charges, including obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
Tyler Robinson is also facing the death penalty if convicted, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced at a press conference. The accused appeared virtually from jail in an anti-suicide vest before a judge at an initial hearing, with the next court date set for September 29.
Officials say Robinson was radicalized online and subscribed to a “leftist” ideology, and said the motive for the killing was a hatred of Kirk, according to text messages he sent to his roommate.
Robinson refused to cooperate with law enforcement during the investigation, after surrendering on the evening of September 11. He showed no emotion during Tuesday’s hearing.
Earlier, it emerged that Robinson said in a group chat on Discord shortly before his arrest: “Hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday,” The Washington Post first reported.
Kirk, a Republican activist and co-founder of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while hosting an event at a Utah college on September 10.
Both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance will speak at a memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday.
Watch LIVE: FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before House panel in aftermath of Charlie Kirk shooting after fiery Senate appearanceRead more
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 15:11
ABC reporter under fire for highlighting the ‘touching’ text messages from Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer
The network’s chief national correspondent, Matt Gutman, has received a wave of backlash for on-air comments he made Tuesday immediately after a press conference, where Utah prosecutors revealed alleged texts Tyler Robinson, 22, sent his roommate following the shooting one week ago.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 17:00
Pope speaks out about political ‘polarization’ after Charlie Kirk shooting
Pope Leo XIV has told the new United States ambassador to the Holy See that he is praying for slain activist Charlie Kirk and his family.
“The pope confirmed that he is praying for Charlie Kirk,” spokesman Matteo Bruni said in comments reported by Vatican News.
Leo also “expressed concern about political violence and spoke of the need to refrain from rhetoric and exploitation that lead to polarization rather than dialogue,” Bruni said.
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 16:30
What is Bella Ciao? The anti-fascist song cited in the Charlie Kirk shooting
Following the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, officials reported unspent bullet casings were found at the scene. These were engraved with phrases such as “If you read this, you are GAY Lmao”, “hey fascist! CATCH!” and “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!”
Bella Ciao (literally, “hello beautiful” or “goodbye beautiful”) is a traditional Italian folk song known for its association with the anti-fascist resistance in Italy during the Second World War.
Justin Mallia explains its contemporary significance.
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 16:00
AG Bondi’s ‘free speech fiasco’ attacked by both left and right
CNN’s Harry Enten ran the numbers on how Americans are engaging with the concept of free speech in the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk, and the resultant bad news for Attorney General Pam Bondi, already unpopular over her handling of the Epstein Files.
Here’s Enten with the latest polling:
And here’s John Bowden on how traditional defenders of free speech rounded on the First Amendment — to the horror of some conservatives:
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 15:44
Raskin slams Patel’s ‘disturbing’ performance
In today’s hearing, House Judiciary ranking member Jamie Raskin slammed FBI Director Kash Patel’s performance in the aftermath of the murder of Charlie Kirk as “so disturbing that even the MAGA base was alarmed.”
The Maryland Democrat said: “When Charlie Kirk was assassinated, while his killer was still on the loose, you decided you didn’t need to be at FBI quarters in Washington to work with your team while the chaotic manhunt unfolded. You spent your evening dining in a swanky Midtown Manhattan restaurant, and tweeting out false information that the subject of the shooting was in custody, a statement you had to retract one hour later. Your performance was so disturbing that even the MAGA base was alarmed.”
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 15:35
Trump and Vance to speak at Kirk memorial
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance will give remarks this Sunday at the memorial service for the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to Turning Point USA, which made the announcement on Tuesday.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, will also speak at the memorial, which will take place this Sunday at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Trump and Vance, who had previously confirmed they would attend the memorial, will be joined by a number of other high-profile speakers announced for the event.
Other speakers from the Trump administration and wider MAGAworld include:
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles Secretary of State Marco Rubio Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller White House Office of Presidential Personnel Director Sergio Gor Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson Donald Trump Jr.
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 15:30
White House press secretary appears to connect earthquake to Charlie Kirk’s death and Biblical prophecy
Leavitt, who describes herself as a devout Christian, shared a post on Instagram that read: “On the night Charlie was shot, a 4.1 earthquake struck Utah. In scripture, 40 represents trials; 41 signifies a shift. It hit at 5:57 local time, 7:57 Eastern.”
“Acts 7:57 describes Stephen, the first martyr, stoned as the crowd silenced his truth. The Bible says the earth trembles when God is angry. That night, as a voice was silenced, the ground groaned.”
She reposted the screenshot of a Twitter post, adding: “Wow.”
Andrew Feinberg has the story.
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 15:00
Kash Patel to face House panel amid criticism of investigation into Charlie Kirk shooting
After yesterday’s contentious appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, DBI Director Kash Patel will shortly sit for questions before the House Judiciary Committee.
Republican Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio has been complimentary of Patel’s work so far as director of the FBI, but he will nevertheless face questions from Democrats on the Charlie Kirk assassination investigation and the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Here’s Eric Garcia in Washington, D.C., with a report on how things went yesterday:
Oliver O’Connell17 September 2025 14:35
Barack Obama says Charlie Kirk’s death was ‘horrific and a tragedy’ but chastizes Trump’s reaction
During his conversation with journalist Steve Scully, Obama also referred to the killing of Minnesota Democrat Melissa Hortman and her husband, calling their deaths “horrific” and a “tragedy.”
“I didn’t know Charlie Kirk. I was generally aware of some of his ideas. I think those ideas were wrong, but that doesn’t negate the fact that what happened was a tragedy and that I mourn for him and his family,” the 44th president added.
Former President Barack Obama called Charlie Kirk’s death “horrific and a tragedy,” during an event at the Jefferson Educational Society in Pennsylvania on Tuesday (Getty)
“I’ve been very impressed with Governor Cox in Utah and how he’s approached some of these issues. I suspect Governor Cox and I disagree on a whole bunch of stuff.
“He is a Republican, self-professed conservative Republican, but in his response to this tragedy, as well as his history of how he engages with people who are political adversaries, he has shown, I think, that it is possible for us to disagree while abiding by a basic code of how we should engage in public debate.”
The former Illinois senator was less effusive in his praise for Donald Trump.
“When I hear not just our current president, but his aides, who have a history of calling political opponents ‘vermin’, enemies who need to be ‘targeted,’ that speaks to a broader problem that we have right now and something that we’re going to have to grapple with, all of us.
“Whether we’re Democrats, Republicans, Independents, we have to recognize that on both sides, undoubtedly, there are people who are extremists and who say things that are contrary to what I believe are America’s core values.”
Obama also said that when he sat in the Oval Office, “those extreme views” were not present.
“I wasn’t embracing them. I wasn’t empowering them. I wasn’t putting the weight of the United States government behind extremist views. And that…when we have the weight of the United States government behind extremist views, we’ve got a problem.”
Paul Farrell17 September 2025 14:29