
New Footage, DNA Evidence Tighten Case Against Man Accused of Assassinating Charlie Kirk
[Video below.] Prosecutors unveiled new surveillance footage Tuesday that they say meticulously tracks the movements of Tyler Robinson across the Utah Valley University campus in the hours before and after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as the accused gunman faces a hearing to determine whether he will stand trial.
The evidence was presented during a preliminary hearing in Provo, Utah, where prosecutors laid out what they described as a detailed timeline of Robinson’s actions on the day of the killing.
Investigators testified that Robinson approached members of Turning Point USA—the organization founded by Kirk—hours before the shooting. They also revealed that, shortly after the attack, Robinson had a brief encounter with a police officer who had been assigned to provide extra security on campus.
Robinson, 23, has been charged with aggravated murder, a charge that carries the possibility of the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea.
Among the most significant evidence presented Tuesday was surveillance footage showing a gray Dodge Challenger approaching an intersection less than a half-mile from the crime scene while police were searching for the gunman on the evening of Sept. 10.
According to Sgt. David Hull of the Utah Department of Public Safety, who led the investigation while serving with the State Bureau of Investigation, the driver of the vehicle was Robinson. The footage showed the car attempting to turn onto campus before pulling away after the driver briefly spoke with a police officer directing traffic.
Hull testified that the officer recorded the vehicle’s license plate after the encounter, apparently relying on what he described as his “cop intuition.”
Although investigators do not know exactly what was said during the conversation, the officer later identified the driver as Robinson, and records confirmed the vehicle was registered in his name.
Roughly 22 hours later, Robinson surrendered to police after being persuaded to do so by his parents and a family friend.
Prosecutors also reconstructed Robinson’s movements throughout the day, arguing that surveillance footage demonstrates careful planning leading up to the shooting.
Video shown in court depicted a man wearing gray shorts, a red T-shirt, and a backpack arriving at a campus parking garage at approximately 8:30 a.m. He was later seen walking throughout the campus and stopping for lunch at a Chick-fil-A.
Prosecutors identified the man as Robinson, arguing that his seemingly ordinary appearance concealed a plan to assassinate Kirk.
Hull testified that Robinson visited the amphitheater where Kirk had been scheduled to speak and also interacted with representatives of Turning Point USA before leaving the campus.
According to investigators, Robinson later returned on foot wearing jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt. Hull testified that Robinson walked with a noticeable limp, suggesting he may have been concealing a firearm beneath his clothing.
Additional surveillance footage introduced in court showed a person investigators identified as Robinson moving across the gravel-covered roof of a campus building before lying down in what prosecutors described as a sniper position moments before the fatal shooting.
The footage then showed the individual moving to the opposite side of the roof while apparently carrying a long object before jumping to the ground and fleeing into a wooded area bordering a nearby neighborhood.
Prosecutors also presented forensic evidence they say further ties Robinson to the crime.
An FBI laboratory report concluded that Robinson’s DNA was found on a towel wrapped around a rifle recovered in the wooded area near the university.
The report also stated that Robinson’s DNA was discovered on a screwdriver left on the rooftop from which prosecutors allege the shots were fired. Investigators have not yet explained how the screwdriver was used.
Defense attorneys vigorously challenged the DNA evidence, calling FBI forensic analyst Amanda Bakker to testify and questioning her extensively about the laboratory’s testing methods and conclusions.
Bakker was the fourth witness to testify during the hearing, which is scheduled to continue this afternoon.