Utah judge rules Tyler Robinson will stand trial for killing Charlie Kirk
PROVO, Utah (KIFI) — 23-year-old Tyler Robinson will stand trial for the killing of Charlie Kirk following a preliminary hearing, a Utah judge ruled today.
Judge Tony Graf ruled that Robinson will proceed to trial on all counts, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, tampering with a witness, and violent offense committed in the presence of a child, according to CNN.
The charges stem from a shooting last September during a Turning Point USA event hosted on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem.
At Tuesday's hearing, prosecutors presented four main forms of evidence against Robinson during the preliminary hearing: video evidence, DNA evidence, text messages to a romantic partner, and comments posted on the social media platform Discord.
Outlining the state’s case, Deputy Utah County Attorney Ryan McBride emphasized the danger posed to the public during the event.
“Robinson shot and killed Kirk because he disagreed with him, and he did it by firing a high-powered rifle into a group of thousands who surrounded Charlie Kirk,” McBride said.
Defense attorneys pushed back strongly against the prosecution's claims. "There's nothing in this evidence showing that there was a great risk, that someone else was going to be killed," said defense attorney Staci Visser.
Robinson's defense also characterized much of the state's evidence as narrative “speculation."
Following Judge Graf's probable cause ruling, the case now moves toward a formal arraignment, where Robinson is expected to enter a plea. He has not yet formally entered a plea in court.
In a statement released to CNN, the Kirk family described the judge’s decision as an “important step in [their] family’s pursuit of justice”:
"Every step in this process carries the weight of all that Charlie’s murder has taken from his family, especially his children who will grow up without their father. We are grateful to all who have continued to pray for us, support us, and stand with us through a year of unimaginable grief.
As the next phase of the judicial process begins, our family remains united in our love for Charlie, our commitment to the pursuit of justice, and our prayer for a transparent and timely process.”
