July 6 - Prosecutors were scheduled to open their case on Monday in a state court in Provo, Utah, arguing that there is probable cause to send a 23-year-old defendant to trial for the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk last year.
Over the course of a week-long preliminary hearing, District Court Judge Tony Graf will weigh the prosecution's claim that Tyler Robinson fired the single shot that killed Kirk, 31, on September 10, 2025. Kirk was at Utah Valley University in Orem - about 40 miles (65 km) south of Salt Lake City - for a campus debate when he was shot, an event that drew national attention.
If the judge determines probable cause exists, Robinson would be expected to enter a plea at an arraignment that could occur the same day, and the matter would then be set for trial at a later date. Robinson faces seven criminal counts, including aggravated murder. Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty.
Authorities say Robinson, who was studying to be an electrician, surrendered to police the day after the shooting. The killing was recorded on a cellphone and the graphic footage spread widely on social media, coming amid a series of attacks on U.S. political figures in recent years and intensifying debate about political violence in a deeply polarized country.
Prosecutors are expected to present video they allege places Robinson at Utah Valley University both before and after the shooting. They also plan to offer additional evidence they assert connects him to the crime, including DNA from the rifle authorities say was used, a recorded statement from Robinson’s roommate, and a handwritten note that reads, "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I took it."
Defense attorneys, however, are likely to draw attention to ballistics testing that the article indicates was inconclusive in matching a bullet fragment removed from Kirk's body to the alleged murder weapon. That inconclusive result is expected to be a focal point of the defense's challenge to the prosecution's case.
Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA when he was 18 in 2012, and the conservative youth organization became a prominent force in Republican politics. According to a source familiar with the situation, Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, who has taken over leadership of Turning Point USA, will attend the hearing in Provo along with Kirk’s parents.
The defense sought, without success, to ban livestreaming and photography of the proceedings, arguing such coverage was fueling sensational media attention. Erika Kirk has publicly urged that cameras be permitted in the courtroom to ensure transparency.
Court filings state that Robinson surrendered after his parents saw images of the gunman and confronted him. The preliminary hearing will determine whether the evidence presented by prosecutors meets the probable cause standard required to move forward to trial.