Suspect in sniper position as US political activist Charlie Kirk shot, prosecutors say

PROVO, Utah — Utah prosecutors on Tuesday presented video evidence that investigators said showed the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk in a sniper position on the roof of a university campus building moments before the fatal shooting.

The evidence was introduced on the second day of a preliminary hearing in Provo, where prosecutors are seeking to persuade District Court Judge Tony Graf to send 23-year-old Tyler Robinson to trial. Investigators allege Robinson shot Kirk, 31, at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, while the ally of President Donald Trump was debating with students.

Robinson faces seven criminal charges, including aggravated murder, and prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty in one of the nation's highest-profile homicide cases.

Utah investigator David Hull testified that the video captured the moment the shot was fired and showed the suspect standing up before moving across the roof. Hull identified the individual in the footage as Robinson.

The weeklong hearing marks the first public presentation of the prosecution's evidence in the killing of Kirk, whose assassination heightened concerns over political violence in the United States. Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, attended the hearing for a second straight day. She now leads Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization her husband co-founded.

Robinson has not entered a plea, and his attorneys have not publicly commented on his guilt or innocence.

Hull also testified that surveillance footage showed Robinson, dressed in a red T-shirt and shorts, interacting with Turning Point USA representatives on the day of the shooting as the group prepared for one of Kirk's campus events. Additional video reportedly showed Robinson checking access to the rooftop where investigators believe the shot was fired before later eating lunch at a fast-food restaurant on campus.

Defense attorneys continued efforts to raise doubts about the prosecution's case, suggesting another person may have been involved. Attorney Kathryn Nester questioned Hull about a handgun found in a backpack on campus after the shooting, but Hull testified that investigators determined the weapon was unrelated to the case.

Another investigator, Jennifer Faumuina, testified that FBI testing detected DNA from Robinson and his roommate, Lance Twiggs, on a screwdriver recovered from the alleged sniper position and on a towel wrapped around a rifle believed to be the murder weapon.

Defense attorney Michael Burt challenged the reliability of the DNA evidence by questioning FBI forensic examiner Amanda Bakker for more than two hours about the testing procedures.

A possible motive also emerged during arguments over whether a statement from Turning Point USA board member David Engelhardt should be admitted as evidence. The statement said Kirk's political views were shaped by his religious beliefs.

Prosecutors argued Robinson targeted Kirk because of the activist's religiously conservative positions on sexuality and gender. Defense attorneys countered that linking religion and politics could unfairly influence potential jurors.

Earlier court filings included text messages in which Robinson allegedly told his roommate he killed Kirk because he had "had enough of his hatred." Prosecutors have also cited statements from Robinson's mother, who said her son's political views had shifted to the left in recent years and that he had become more supportive of LGBTQ+ rights. -Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico; Editing by Donna Bryson, Will Dunham and Lincoln Feast./Reuters