A Utah district court judge began hearing arguments Monday as prosecutors laid out their case for why a 23-year-old man should stand trial for the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The week-long preliminary hearing is taking place before District Court Judge Tony Graf in state court in Provo. Prosecutors must establish probable cause to believe Tyler Robinson fired the single shot that ended Kirk’s life on September 10, 2025. Kirk, who was 31 years old at the time, was shot while appearing at Utah Valley University in Orem — a city located about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City — for one of his signature campus debate events.
Kirk had built a national profile through those campus appearances and was widely credited with helping energize young conservative voters during the 2024 presidential election. He co-founded Turning Point USA at age 18 in 2012, and the organization grew into a significant force within Republican politics.
If Judge Graf determines probable cause exists, Robinson would enter a plea at an arraignment that could occur the same day, with a trial date to be set at a later time. Robinson faces seven criminal charges in total, with aggravated murder among them. Prosecutors have announced their intention to seek the death penalty.
Robinson, who had been studying to become an electrician, surrendered to police the day after the shooting. According to court filings, his parents recognized him from images of the gunman and confronted him, leading to his surrender.
During the hearing, prosecutors planned to present video footage they say shows Robinson on the Utah Valley University campus both before and after Kirk was shot. Additional evidence expected to be introduced includes DNA from the rifle authorities allege was used in the killing, 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 are expected to point to ballistics testing that came back inconclusive when attempting to match a bullet fragment recovered from Kirk’s body to the alleged murder weapon.
The shooting was captured on cellphone video that spread rapidly across social media, adding to a national conversation about political violence in an increasingly divided country. Kirk’s death came amid a broader pattern of attacks on political figures in recent years.
Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, who has since taken over leadership of Turning Point USA, is expected to attend the hearing in the Provo courtroom alongside Kirk’s parents, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
The defense had sought to prohibit livestream television coverage and photography from the courtroom, arguing such coverage was contributing to sensational media reporting. That effort was unsuccessful. Erika Kirk had publicly called for cameras to be permitted inside the courtroom in the interest of transparency.
