Speaker 1: Crime Stores with Nancy Grace. Tayler Robinson went before a
Speaker 1: judge today for his first court hearing. Crime Story's Dave
Speaker 1: Mack reads the charging document, State of Utah, Plaintiff versus
Speaker 1: Tyler James Robinson eight ninety four West Samaran Drive, Washington,
Speaker 1: Utah eight four seven eight zero, date of birth four sixteen,
Speaker 1: two thousand and three. The State of Utah, by and
Speaker 1: through the Utah County Attorney's Office, charges the defendant with
Speaker 1: the commission of the following offenses. Count one aggravated murder,
Speaker 1: a capital felony, and violation of Utah Code annotated in
Speaker 1: that on September tenth, twenty twenty five, in Utah County,
Speaker 1: the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, intentionally or knowingly caused the
Speaker 1: death of Charlie Kirk under the following circumstances. The defendant
Speaker 1: knowingly created a great risk of death to another individual
Speaker 1: other than Charlie Kirk, and the defendant. Conviction of this
Speaker 1: offense may carry the death penalty or pursue it to
Speaker 1: Utah Code seven to six dish three dish to zero
Speaker 1: seven point seven, a mandatory term of imprisonment for life
Speaker 1: without parole, or an indeterminate term of not less than
Speaker 1: twenty five years, and that may be for life. Victim
Speaker 1: targeting enhancement in violation of Utah Code annotated seven to
Speaker 1: six dish three desh two zero three dot fourteen Tyler
Speaker 1: James Robinson intentionally selected Charlie Kirk because of Tyler James
Speaker 1: Robinson's belief or perception regarding Charlie Kirk's political expression. Notice.
Speaker 1: If the trier of fact finds beyond reasonable doubt that
Speaker 1: the victim targeting enhancement applies, the sentencing judge or the
Speaker 1: Board of Pardons in Parole shall consider the defendant selection
Speaker 1: of the victim as an aggravating factor. Violent offense committed
Speaker 1: in the presence of a child aggravating factor. The sentencing
Speaker 1: judge or the Board of pardon in Parol shall consider
Speaker 1: as an aggravating factor in their deliberations that the defendant
Speaker 1: committed a violent criminal offense in the presence of a child.
Speaker 1: Count two felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily
Speaker 1: injury a first degree felony in violation of Utah Code
Speaker 1: annotated seven to six Dash one to one dish two
Speaker 1: one zero and three c in that on September tenth,
Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, in Utah County, the defendant, Tyler James Robinson,
Speaker 1: discharged a firearm in the direction of Charlie Kirk, knowing
Speaker 1: or having reason to believe that Charlie Kirk may be
Speaker 1: endangered by the discharge of the firearm and the caused
Speaker 1: serious bodily injury to Charlie Kirk. Victim targeting enhancement in
Speaker 1: violation of Utah Code annotated seven to six DASH three
Speaker 1: Dish two zero three point one four. Tyler James Robinson
Speaker 1: intentionally selected Charlie Kirk because of Tyler James Robinson's belief
Speaker 1: or perception regarding Charlie Kirk's political expression. Notice. If the
Speaker 1: trier of fact finds beyond reasonable doubt that the victim
Speaker 1: targeting enhancement applies, inenden judge or the Board of Pardons
Speaker 1: in Parole shall consider the defendant selection of the victim
Speaker 1: as an aggravating factor. Violent offense committed in the presence
Speaker 1: of a child aggravating factor. The sentencing judge or the
Speaker 1: boarden of Pardons in Parole shall consider as an aggravating
Speaker 1: factor in their deliberations that the defendant committed a violent
Speaker 1: criminal offense in the presence of a child. Count three
Speaker 1: obstruction of justice a second degree felony in violation of
Speaker 1: Utah Code annotated seven to six Dash eight Dash three
Speaker 1: zero six, and that on September ten, twenty twenty five,
Speaker 1: in Utah A County, the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, would
Speaker 1: intend to hinder, delay, or prevent the investigation, apprehension, prosecution, conviction,
Speaker 1: or punishment of any person regarding conduct that constitutes criminal offense.
Speaker 1: See concealed or remove the firearm used to shoot Charlie Kirk,
Speaker 1: and the conduct that constitutes an offense would be a
Speaker 1: capital felony or first degree felony. Count four obstruction of
Speaker 1: justice a second degree felony violation of Utah Code annotated
Speaker 1: seven to six Dash eight DASH three zero six. In
Speaker 1: that honor about September eleven, twenty twenty five, in Utah County,
Speaker 1: the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, would intent to hinder, delay,
Speaker 1: or prevent the investigation, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of
Speaker 1: any person regarding conduct that constitutes a criminal offense. See destroyed, concealed,
Speaker 1: or removed the clothing he wore during the shooting, and
Speaker 1: the conduct that constitutes an offense would be a capital
Speaker 1: felony or first degree felony. Count five Tampering with a
Speaker 1: witness a third degree felony in violation of Utah Code
Speaker 1: annotated seven to six DASH eight DASH five zero eight.
Speaker 1: In that honor, about September ten, twenty twenty five, in
Speaker 1: Utah County, the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, believed that an
Speaker 1: official proceeding or investigation was pending or about to be instituted,
Speaker 1: or intended to prevent an official preceding or investigation, and
Speaker 1: attempted to induce or otherwise cause his roommate to withhold testimony, information,
Speaker 1: a document, or an item, to wit directing his roommate
Speaker 1: to delete incriminating text messages. Count six Tampering with a
Speaker 1: witness a third degree felony in violation of Utah Code
Speaker 1: annotated seven to six eight DASH five zero eight, and
Speaker 1: that honor, About September eleven, twenty twenty five, in Utah County,
Speaker 1: the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, believed that an official preceding
Speaker 1: or investigation was pending or about to be instituted, or
Speaker 1: intended to prevent an official preceding or investigation, and attempted
Speaker 1: to induce or otherwise cause his roommate to withhold testimony
Speaker 1: or information, to wit directing his roommate to stay silent
Speaker 1: if police questioned his the roommate. Count seven violent offense
Speaker 1: committed in the presence of a child a Class A
Speaker 1: misdemeanor in violation of Utah Code annotated seven six dash
Speaker 1: three dash to zero three point one zero and seven
Speaker 1: six dash three dish two zero three point one four
Speaker 1: In that honor about September ten, twenty twenty five, in
Speaker 1: Utah County, the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, committed criminal homicide
Speaker 1: in the physical presence of a child younger than fourteen
Speaker 1: years old, with knowledge that a child was present and
Speaker 1: may have seen or heard the commission of the criminal
Speaker 1: homicide victim targeting enhancement in violation of Utah Code annotated
Speaker 1: seven to six dash three dash to zero three point
Speaker 1: one four. Tyler James Robinson intentionally selected Charlie Kirk because
Speaker 1: of James Tyler Robinson's belief or perception regarding Charlie Kirk's
Speaker 1: political expression. Probable cause statement Brian Davis of the Utah
Speaker 1: State Bureau of Investigation having probable cause to believe that
Speaker 1: the defendant committed the above listed defense submitted the following
Speaker 1: evidence in supported the filing of this information. On September tenth,
Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, at approximately twelve twenty three pm, Charlie
Speaker 1: Kirk was shot and killed while speaking to a large
Speaker 1: crowd on the campus of Utah Valley University and or
Speaker 1: on Utah two. Police found the suspected murder weapon, a
Speaker 1: Bold Action thirty odd six rifle, nearby. Over the next
Speaker 1: approximately thirty three hours, police conducted a man hunt for
Speaker 1: the shooter until the evening of September eleventh, twenty twenty five,
Speaker 1: when Tyler James Robinson surrendered to police at the Washington
Speaker 1: County Sheriff's Office. DNA consistent with Robinson was found on
Speaker 1: the rifle's trigger. After shooting mister Kirk, Robinson hid the gun,
Speaker 1: discarded the clothing he wore when he fired the rifle,
Speaker 1: and told his lover Slash roommate, to delete incriminating text
Speaker 1: messages and not to talk to police. Children were present
Speaker 1: at the time of the shooting. The shooting, Turning Point USA,
Speaker 1: a nonprofit organization founded in twenty twelve by Charlie Kirk,
Speaker 1: organized a public outdoor event to be held at noon
Speaker 1: on September tenth, twenty twenty five, at UVU. The event
Speaker 1: was the first in a series of similar events to
Speaker 1: be held at college campuses nationwide. Mister Kirk is a
Speaker 1: well known con serve of activist, famous for these types
Speaker 1: of events where he discusses various political issues and debates
Speaker 1: with audience members. His events and comments have garnered a
Speaker 1: significant number of supporters and drawn the ire of many
Speaker 1: who disagree with his political views. The event at UVU
Speaker 1: was announced far in advance and garnered significant publicity and interest. Consequently,
Speaker 1: several hundred people attended. Mister Kirk was interacting with the
Speaker 1: crowd before the event officially got under way. Then, approximately
Speaker 1: at noon, mister Kirk seated himself under a portable canopy
Speaker 1: behind a table and microphone. He began speaking to the
Speaker 1: crowd and fielding questions from attendees, a format mister Kirk
Speaker 1: commonly used at his events. Mister Kirk allowed his questioners
Speaker 1: to approach a microphone position directly in front of him.
Speaker 1: Mister Kirk's team members were very close to him on
Speaker 1: his right and left, as well as some behind his canopy,
Speaker 1: and others at various close locations near him. The large
Speaker 1: crowd surrounded mister Kirk on three sides. Metal fencing separated
Speaker 1: attendees from mister Kirk by only a matter of feet.
Speaker 1: Directly above and behind mister Kirk was the UVU haul
Speaker 1: of Flags, an indoor walkway spanning several hundred feet with
Speaker 1: Florida ceiling glass windows, which overlooked the plaza where mister
Speaker 1: Kirk was seated. People were in the walkway at the
Speaker 1: time of the shooting. Approximately fifteen minutes into the event,
Speaker 1: mister Kirk was answering a question about mass shootings by
Speaker 1: transgender individuals when a gunshot rang out. The bullet struck
Speaker 1: mister Kirk in the neck. He slumped to the ground
Speaker 1: almost immediately. The bullet's trajectory passed closely to several other
Speaker 1: individuals beside mister Kirk, including the questioner who was standing
Speaker 1: directly in front of mister Kirk. Children were visible near
Speaker 1: mister Kirk's stage when he was shot. Mister Kirk was
Speaker 1: rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared to ceased.
Speaker 1: The medical examiner's report is pending. The UVU surveillance investigation.
Speaker 1: At the moment of the shot. A UVU police officer
Speaker 1: was watching the crowd from an elevated vantage point. As
Speaker 1: soon as he heard the shot, he began to scan
Speaker 1: the area for threats. Believing the shot came from a
Speaker 1: rifle because of its sound, he looked for potential sniper positions.
Speaker 1: He noted a roof area approximately one hundred and sixty
Speaker 1: yards away from mister Kirk as a potential shooting position
Speaker 1: and rushed there to look for evidence. The suspected shooting
Speaker 1: position is adjacent to an open, publicly accessible walkway. To
Speaker 1: access the suspected location, a person must climb over a
Speaker 1: railing and then drop to the roof only slightly below
Speaker 1: The UVU officer climbed over the railing and down onto
Speaker 1: the roof. He then walked to the suspected shooting position
Speaker 1: and confirmed a clear shooting corridor between the position and
Speaker 1: mister Kirk's seat. He also noticed markings in the gravel
Speaker 1: rooftop consistent with a sniper having lain on the roof,
Speaker 1: impressions in the gravel potentially left by the elbows, knees,
Speaker 1: and feet of a person in a prone shooting position.
Speaker 1: Police reviewed surveillance from the camera covering the roof and
Speaker 1: discovered that it recorded an individual dressed in dark clothing,
Speaker 1: crossed the railing from the public walkway and dropped onto
Speaker 1: the roof at approximately twelve to fifteen PM. Although the
Speaker 1: individual moved out of the camera's view for a short time,
Speaker 1: the camera again captured the individual running across the roof
Speaker 1: and then low crawling to the area the UVU officer
Speaker 1: recognized as where the suspected sniper had dropped into a
Speaker 1: prone shooting position. After a short time, which matches the
Speaker 1: known time of the shot, the individual arose and ran
Speaker 1: across the roof to the northeast. The discovery led to
Speaker 1: an intensive review of uvu A surveillance recordings to attempt
Speaker 1: to track and identify the suspect. Surveillance revealed the following
Speaker 1: At approximately eleven fifty one am, the suspect entered campus
Speaker 1: from the north. He is seen wearing a black shirt
Speaker 1: with an American flag in its center, a dark baseball cap,
Speaker 1: and large sunglasses. Throughout the surveillance, the suspect keeps his
Speaker 1: head down and rarely raises his head enough to get
Speaker 1: a clear image of his face. As he proceeds across campus.
Speaker 1: He is seen walking with an unusual gate. The suspect
Speaker 1: walks with very little bending in his right leg, consistent
Speaker 1: with a rifle being hidden in his pants. This unusual
Speaker 1: gate continues until the suspect is seen crossing the railing,
Speaker 1: off the open walkway and onto the roof, where he
Speaker 1: leaves the camera's view. A camera later captures the suspect
Speaker 1: as he runs across the roof to the suspected shooting position.
Speaker 1: Immediately after the shot was fired, A camera captures the
Speaker 1: suspect running across the roof carrying an item whose shape
Speaker 1: is consistent with a rifle. The suspect is then seen
Speaker 1: climbing down from the roof. He appears to drop the
Speaker 1: item he was carrying as he hits the ground in
Speaker 1: a controlled fall. He then picks up the item and
Speaker 1: runs toward the northeast end of the campus. Expanded crime
Speaker 1: scene investigation law enforcement officers followed the suspect's escape paths
Speaker 1: to the northeast end of the campus, where they believed
Speaker 1: the suspect left campus and entered a wooded area. In
Speaker 1: that wooded area, investigators found a bolt action rifle wrapped
Speaker 1: in a towel. The rifle contained one spent round and
Speaker 1: three unspent rounds. This is consistent with the fax officers
Speaker 1: observed at the time of and immediately after the shooting.
Speaker 1: No shellcasings were found on the roof, suggesting a bolt
Speaker 1: action rather than an auto loading weapon, and only a
Speaker 1: single round was fired. Each round in the rifle contained
Speaker 1: an etched inscription as follows. Fired cartridge No Tye's bulge.
Speaker 1: O wo what's this? Second cartridge? Hey? Fascist? Catch? Third cartridge?
Speaker 1: Oh bella chow bella chow bella chow chow chow. Fourth cartridge.
Speaker 1: If you read this, you are gay LMAO. The rifle, ammunition, rounds,
Speaker 1: and towels were sent for forensic processing. DNA consistent with
Speaker 1: Robinson's was found on the trigger, other parts of the rifle,
Speaker 1: the fired cartridge, casing, two of the three unfired cartridges,
Speaker 1: and the towel. Law enforcement was unable to immediately locate
Speaker 1: the shooter, so they published photos of the shooter from
Speaker 1: the UVU surveillance cameras and asked for the public's help
Speaker 1: to identify him. Meanwhile, law enforcement continued to try to
Speaker 1: identify the shooter through other means. The Washington County investigation
Speaker 1: on the evening of September eleven, twenty twenty five, as
Speaker 1: law enforcement continued their investigation, Tyler James Robinson went to
Speaker 1: the Washington County Sheriff's office with his parents and a
Speaker 1: family friend to turn himself. Inson's mother stated the following
Speaker 1: to police. On September eleven, twenty twenty five, the day
Speaker 1: after the shooting, Robinson's mother saw the photo of the
Speaker 1: shooter in the news and thought the shooter looked like
Speaker 1: her son. Robinson's mother called her son and asked him
Speaker 1: where he was. He said he was at home sick,
Speaker 1: and that he had also been at home sick on
Speaker 1: September tenth. Robinson's mother expressed concern to her husband that
Speaker 1: the suspected shooter looked like Robinson. Robinson's father agreed. Robinson's
Speaker 1: mother explained that over the last year or so, Robinson
Speaker 1: had become more political and had started to lean more
Speaker 1: to the left, becoming more pro gay and trans rights oriented.
Speaker 1: She stated that Robinson began to date his roommate, a
Speaker 1: biological male who was transitioning genders. This resulted in several
Speaker 1: discussions with family members, but especially between Robinson and his father,
Speaker 1: who have very different political views. In one conversation before
Speaker 1: the shooting, Robinson mentioned that Charlie Kirk would be holding
Speaker 1: an event UVU, which Robinson said was a quote stupid
Speaker 1: venue for the event. Robinson accused Kirk of spreading hate.
Speaker 1: Robinson's father reported that when his wife showed him the
Speaker 1: surveillance image of the suspected shooter in the news, he
Speaker 1: agreed that it looked like their son. He also believed
Speaker 1: that the rifle that police suspected the shooter used matched
Speaker 1: a rifle that was given to his son as a gift.
Speaker 1: As a result, Robinson's father contacted his son and asked
Speaker 1: him to send a photo of the rifle. Robinson did
Speaker 1: not respond. However, Robinson's father spoke on the phone with Robinson.
Speaker 1: Robinson implied that he planned to take his own life.
Speaker 1: Robinson's parents were able to convince him to meet at
Speaker 1: their home. As they discussed the situation, Robinson implied that
Speaker 1: he was the shooter and stated that he couldn't go
Speaker 1: to jail and just wanted to end it. When asked
Speaker 1: why he did it, Robinson explained, there is too much
Speaker 1: evil and the guy Charlie Kirk spreads too much hate.
Speaker 1: They talked about Robinson turning himself and convinced Robinson to
Speaker 1: speak with a family friend who was a retired deputy sheriff.
Speaker 1: At robinson father's request, the family friend met with Robinson
Speaker 1: and his parents and convinced Robinson to turn himself in.
Speaker 1: The family friend spoke to police and reported telling Robinson
Speaker 1: that it would be best if he brought all evidence
Speaker 1: with him to the sheriff's office to avoid police having
Speaker 1: to search his parents home. The family friend also asked
Speaker 1: Robinson if he had any clothes that were related to
Speaker 1: what he did. Robinson replied that he had disposed of
Speaker 1: his clothes in different areas. The roommate. Police interviewed Robinson's roommate,
Speaker 1: a biological male who was involved in a romantic relationship
Speaker 1: with Robinson. The roommate told police that the roommate received
Speaker 1: messages from Robinson about the shooting and provided those messages
Speaker 1: to police. On September ten, twenty twenty five, the roommate
Speaker 1: received a text message from Robinson which said, drop what
Speaker 1: you're doing, look under my keyboard. The roommate looked under
Speaker 1: the keyboard and found a note This stated quote, I
Speaker 1: had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I'm
Speaker 1: going to take it unquote. Police found a photograph of
Speaker 1: this note. The following text exchange then took place. After
Speaker 1: reading the note, the roommate responded to quote, what question mark?
Speaker 1: You're joking, right, Robinson? I am still okay, my love,
Speaker 1: but am stuck in orum for a little while longer
Speaker 1: yet shouldn't be long until I can come home. But
Speaker 1: I got to grab my rifle still. To be honest,
Speaker 1: I had hoped to keep this secret till I died
Speaker 1: of old age. I'm sorry to involve you. The roommate writes,
Speaker 1: you weren't the one who did it, right, Robinson, I am.
Speaker 1: I'm sorry, roommate. I thought they caught the person, Robinson. Nope,
Speaker 1: they grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in
Speaker 1: similar clothing. I had planned to grab my rifle from
Speaker 1: my drop point shortly after, but most of that side
Speaker 1: of town got logged down. It's quiet, almost enough to
Speaker 1: get out, but there's one vehicle lingering. Roommate, Why Robinson?
Speaker 1: Why did I do it? Roommate? Yeah, Robinson, I had
Speaker 1: enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out
Speaker 1: if I'm able to grab my rifle unseen, I will
Speaker 1: have left no evidence. Going to attempt to retrieve it again.
Speaker 1: Hopefully they've moved on. I haven't seen anything about them
Speaker 1: finding it. Roommate, how long have you been planning this, Robinson?
Speaker 1: A bit over a week. I believe I can get
Speaker 1: close to it, but there's a squad car park right
Speaker 1: by it. I think they already swept that spot, but
Speaker 1: I don't want to chance it, Robinson. I'm wishing I
Speaker 1: had to circle back and grabbed it as soon as
Speaker 1: I got to my vehicle. I'm worried what my old
Speaker 1: man would do if I didn't bring back Grandpa's rifle.
Speaker 1: If it had a serial number, but it wouldn't trace
Speaker 1: to me. I worry about Prince. I had to leave
Speaker 1: it in a bush where I changed outfits, didn't have
Speaker 1: the ability or time to bring it with. I might
Speaker 1: have to abandon it and hope they don't find Prince.
Speaker 1: How the blank will I explain losing it to my
Speaker 1: old man? The only thing I left was the rifle
Speaker 1: wrapped in a towel. Remember how I was engraving bullets.
Speaker 1: The blanking messages are mostly a big meme. If I
Speaker 1: see quote notices bulge Uwu unquote on Fox News. I
Speaker 1: might have a stroke. All right, I'm going to have
Speaker 1: to leave it. That really effing sucks. Judging from today,
Speaker 1: I'd say Grandpa's gun does just fine. I DK I
Speaker 1: think that was a two thousand dollars scope. Robinson writes,
Speaker 1: delete this exchange. Robinson again rights. My dad wants photos
Speaker 1: of the rifle, he says, Grandpa wants to know who
Speaker 1: has what. The Feds released a photo of the rifle
Speaker 1: and it is very unique. He's calling me, not answering, Robinson.
Speaker 1: Since Trump got into office, my dad has been pretty diehard.
Speaker 1: Maga Robinson. I'm going to turn myself in willingly. One
Speaker 1: of my neighbors here is a deputy or for the sheriff. Robinson.
Speaker 1: You are all I worry about, love roommate. I'm much
Speaker 1: more worried about you, Robinson. Don't talk to the media. Please,
Speaker 1: don't take any interviews or make any comments. If any
Speaker 1: police ask you questions, ask for a lawyer, and stay silent.
Speaker 1: The search of Robinson's residence, police executed a search warrant
Speaker 1: on Robinson's residence. During that search, police discovered a shellcasing
Speaker 1: with etchings like the etchings found on the shells and
Speaker 1: the rifle near Uvu. Police also found several targets with
Speaker 1: bullet holes in Robinson's home. One aggravated murder pertains to
Speaker 1: Robinson's shooting and killing of Charlie Kirk in a manner
Speaker 1: that exposed others, in addition to mister Kirk to a
Speaker 1: great risk of death. Count two felony discharge of a
Speaker 1: firearm pertains to Robinson's shooting toward mister Kirk knowing that
Speaker 1: doing so would endangered those in the bullet's path. The
Speaker 1: shot caused serious bodily injury to mister Kirk, ultimately resulting
Speaker 1: in his death. Count three Obstructing Justice pertains to Robinson's
Speaker 1: removal and hiding of the rifle he used to shoot
Speaker 1: mister Kirk. Count four Obstructing justice pertains to Robinson's removal
Speaker 1: and hiding of the clothing he wore when he shot
Speaker 1: mister Kirk. Count five Witness tampering pertains to Robinson's statements
Speaker 1: to his roommate telling his roommate to delete their text
Speaker 1: exchange that followed the shooting. Count six Witness tampering pertains
Speaker 1: to Robinson's statement to his roommate telling the roommate quote,
Speaker 1: if any police ask you questions, ask for a lawyer,
Speaker 1: and stay silent. Unquote. Count seven Violence Offense committed in
Speaker 1: the presence of a child pertains to robinsons shooting of
Speaker 1: mister Kirk, and the presence of children under the age
Speaker 1: of fourteen who are visible at the event. Based upon
Speaker 1: evidence received from Brian Davis of the Utah State Bureau
Speaker 1: of Investigation, I have reason to believe the defendant committed
Speaker 1: the offenses charged herein. Authorized for presentment and filing. On
Speaker 1: September sixteenth, twenty twenty five, Utah County Attorney's Office sworn
Speaker 1: to buy Jeffrey S. Gray, Utah County Attorney