Prosecutors Say Tyler Robinson Killed Charlie Kirk over Political Views He Found ‘Repugnant’
In closing arguments Tuesday, Utah prosecutors argued that their case against Tyler Robinson should proceed to trial, alleging that Robinson killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk “because he disagreed with him” politically.
Utah County Attorney Ryan McBride noted during the preliminary hearing that Kirk was known for “debates and discussion on traditional family values, orthodox Christian views on sexuality, marriage, gender, and sex, as well as other political doctrines.”
“We knew what Charlie Kirk stood for, and those ideas were repugnant to the defendant, who was in a homosexual relationship with a man who was considering transitioning genders,” McBride said. “It doesn’t take a lot to connect the dots.”
Prosecutors argued throughout the hearing that they have “overwhelming” evidence that Robinson killed Kirk while the conservative activist was speaking at Utah Valley University last September. Lawyers for Robinson — who has not yet entered a plea — have tried to keep the case from going to trial on the charge of aggravated murder, which is punishable by death.
Prosecutors have said there is probable cause to proceed to trial on the charge because Robinson knowingly created a risk of death to others when he fired a high-powered rifle into the crowd at the university.
District Judge Tony Graf will decide Tuesday evening whether the case will move forward to trial on the charge of aggravated murder. He could decide to send the case to trial on a lesser charge of murder, or could also dismiss the charges against Robinson, according to the Associated Press.
During the preliminary hearing, McBride presented several forms of evidence, including text messages Robinson sent his then-roommate and boyfriend Lance Twiggs; Robinson’s handwritten confession to Twiggs; and bullet etchings referencing furry culture and left-leaning political ideologies.
Robinson left Twiggs a note under the keyboard of his computer, prosecutors said. It said, “Luna, if you are reading this per my text, then I am so sorry. I left the house this morning on a mission, and set an auto text. I am likely dead, or facing a lengthy prison sentence. I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it. I don’t know if I will/have succeeded, but I had hoped to make it home to you. I wish we could have lived in . . .”
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The rest of the note was not shown to the public, but McBride read another section, which said, “I wish we could have lived in a place where this was not necessary. I wish I could have stayed for you and lived our lives together.”
Bullet casings were discovered inside a towel-wrapped bolt-action rifle on the Utah Valley University campus directly following Kirk’s assassination. Robinson’s DNA was discovered on the towel, the gun, the casings, and a Dremel tool in his apartment.
In July, prosecutors published photos of the bullet casings to the public. McBride referenced them again on Tuesday.
“This is a furry meme,” he said of one that said, “Notices bulges, OwO What’s This?” It expresses “the surprise someone has in discovering that another individual unexpectedly has male genitalia,” McBride said.
He then referenced another that read, “Hey fascist! Catch!” This etching “is probably the most clear political statement here,” McBride said. “We know what that means just from knowledge of current events. Fascist is a common derogatory label that those on the left give to those on the right to try and categorize them and group them with the famous evil dictators and fascists of the 20th century.”
As he concluded, McBride said, “The defendant, Tyler James Robinson, shot and killed Charlie Kirk because he disagreed with him, and he did it by firing a high-powered rifle into a group of thousands who surrounded Charlie Kirk, literally on all sides, and he, like any rational person, knew that that would create a great risk of death to all those around Charlie Kirk.”
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