Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on 10 September 2025. Tyler James Robinson, 22, surrendered the next night and was charged by the Utah County Attorney's Office with aggravated murder and six other counts, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. He has pleaded not guilty, is presumed innocent, and as of 31 October 2026 no trial date had been set.
10 September 2025 to today · 29 dated events · 32 sources
Where it stands now · as of 31 October 2026
Robinson has been bound over for trial and has pleaded not guilty to all seven state counts. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, no federal charges have been reported, and Judge Tony Graf has said he will rule on a trial date on November 9.
Next date 9 November 2026 Hearing at which Judge Graf said he would set a trial date
state counts charged7Utah County Attorney's Office
FBI reward offered$100,00011 September 2025
people at the eventabout 3,000figure cited by prosecutors in court
discovery cited by the judge12 TBMay 2026 ruling
Timeline of events
Overview · 10 Sep 2025 to 23 Oct 2026 · click a dot to jump
2025
10 Sep 2025
Turning point
Start
Charlie Kirk shot at Utah Valley University
Charlie Kirk, 31, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while speaking at an outdoor event in the Sorensen Center courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem, the Associated Press reported. The AP reported the shot was fired from a building roof some distance away, and KSL later reported it came from the roof of the Losee Center about 175 to 200 yards away. President Donald Trump announced on social media that Kirk had died.
“I want to be very clear this is a political assassination.”Spencer Cox, Governor of Utah, Associated Press (via PBS NewsHour)
Two people were detained on the day of the shooting, and neither was found to be connected to it, according to the Associated Press. Both were released and no suspect was in custody late that night.
Presidential proclamation orders flags to half-staff
President Trump issued Proclamation 10969, Honoring the Memory of Charlie Kirk, ordering US flags at federal buildings, military posts and missions abroad flown at half-staff until sunset on September 14, 2025.
Rifle recovered and images of a person of interest released
Authorities said a high-power bolt-action rifle was recovered in a wooded area near campus, NPR reported. The FBI released two images of a person of interest and offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible, NPR and Utah Public Radio reported.
Tyler James Robinson, 22, was taken into custody at about 10 p.m. on September 11, FBI Director Kash Patel said, after a person close to him contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby later said Robinson arrived at the sheriff's office with family members and surrendered peacefully, the Associated Press reported.
Governor announces arrest, suspect booked on suspicion of aggravated murder
Governor Spencer Cox announced at a news conference that Robinson was in custody. He was booked into the Utah County Jail on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm and obstruction of justice, according to KSL and the Deseret News. Cox described the rifle as a Mauser Model 98 bolt-action rifle chambered in .30-06, KSL reported.
NewsNation, citing an unnamed Justice Department source, reported that Robinson was expected to face federal charges. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment, and no federal charges followed at that time.
The Utah County Attorney's Office charged Robinson with aggravated murder (a capital felony), felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury (first-degree felony), two counts of obstruction of justice (second-degree felonies), two counts of witness tampering (third-degree felonies) and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child (class A misdemeanor), according to the Deseret News and ABC4. The charges are allegations and Robinson is presumed innocent.
Prosecutors file notice of intent to seek the death penalty
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said he was filing a notice of intent to seek the death penalty, and that he had made the decision independently. Aggravated murder is the only crime eligible for the death penalty in Utah, KSL reported.
“I do not take this decision lightly”Jeff Gray, Utah County Attorney, KSL
Gray said Robinson's DNA was found on the rifle's trigger and that text messages showed Robinson asking his roommate to delete messages and stay silent, according to NPR and the Associated Press. According to court documents cited by the AP, Robinson texted his roommate to look under a keyboard for a note referring to Kirk. These are prosecutors' allegations and have not been tested at trial.
Robinson appeared by video from the Utah County jail before Judge Tony Graf, who read him the charges and said a defense attorney would be appointed because he could not afford one. He did not enter a plea and was ordered held without bail, NPR reported.
At a hearing that Robinson joined by audio from jail, his newly appointed defense team asked Judge Graf for more time to review evidence both sides called voluminous before deciding on a preliminary hearing, Euronews reported, drawing on the Associated Press.
A hearing on courtroom security, media coverage and whether Robinson could wear civilian clothing in court was held on October 24 and closed to the public, CNN reported. Media organisations later sought a transcript.
Robinson appeared in person for the first time since his arrest, at a hearing in Fourth District Court in Provo on public access and sealing of the October hearing record, CNN reported. He had not entered a plea.
Justice Department reported to be weighing federal hate crime charge
NBC News, citing people familiar with the investigation, reported that the Justice Department was weighing a federal hate crime case and that some career prosecutors had questioned whether any federal statute applied. A department spokesperson declined to comment. No federal charges had been filed.
Hearings on defense bid to disqualify county prosecutors
The defense asked the court to disqualify the entire Utah County Attorney's Office, arguing a conflict of interest because an adult child of a senior prosecutor in the office was at the event. Hearings were held in January and early February 2026, according to St. George News and the Washington Examiner.
Judge Graf ruled that the defense had not met the legal standard for disqualification and found no evidence that personal interests had affected the prosecution or the decision to seek the death penalty. He also declined to refer the issue to the Utah Attorney General's Office.
“The court finds no such evidence.”Judge Tony Graf, St. George News
Cameras allowed and preliminary hearing moved to July
Judge Graf denied a defense request for a broad ban on cameras and livestreaming, keeping existing limits and requiring media to request coverage at least 14 days ahead. He moved the preliminary hearing from May to July 6 to 10, citing about 12 terabytes of discovery. Kirk's widow, as victim representative, had invoked her right to a speedy disposition under Utah law.
“Given the volume of discovery, the request is neither unexpected nor unreasonable.”Judge Tony Graf, Deseret News
Judge Graf held Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard in civil contempt for public comments that the court found went beyond the pretrial publicity order, and ordered the state to pay the defense's fees for the motion. He rejected a defense request to strike the death penalty notice as a sanction and said measures such as expanded jury selection could be used.
A five-day preliminary hearing began in Provo to decide whether there was enough evidence for trial. Prosecutors presented campus surveillance video that they said tracked Robinson's movements and showed him on the Losee Center roof, according to the Associated Press as reported by FOX 13 and the Daily Herald.
A State Bureau of Investigation analyst testified that DNA from a towel found near the rifle matched only two people, one of them likely Robinson, according to an Associated Press account published by FOX 13. The defense cited testimony that DNA on an item does not necessarily mean a person touched it.
The defense challenged the reliability of DNA evidence and of ballistics tests on a bullet fragment, which an ATF analyst described as inconclusive, the Associated Press reported. The hearing ended with final arguments set for September 1.
In written filings the defense argued the state had not proven the elements of aggravated murder, and prosecutors argued the evidence supports the aggravating circumstance required for a capital case, KSL reported.
Judge Graf found that prosecutors had shown probable cause and ordered Robinson to stand trial on all seven counts. Prosecutors argued the shot endangered others in a crowd of about 3,000, and the defense argued the aggravating factor did not apply, the Deseret News reported.
“was gambling with innocent lives”Chad Grunander, deputy prosecutor, describing the state's allegation, Deseret News
Robinson was arraigned immediately after the bindover and pleaded not guilty to all seven counts, according to the Deseret News and KSL. He remains presumed innocent.
Judge orders both sides to propose a trial schedule
Judge Graf ordered prosecutors and defense lawyers to file memos by October 21 estimating preparation time and trial length, ahead of an October 23 pretrial conference, KSL reported.
The defense asked for a six- to seven-month trial starting in the third quarter of 2029, citing the volume of evidence. Prosecutors asked for a January 31, 2028 start and a trial of about 17 weeks. Kirk's widow asked for a trial as early as possible in 2027, Reuters reported.
After about three hours of argument, Judge Graf did not set a trial date and said he would rule at a hearing on November 9, the Deseret News and the Associated Press reported. He said he was concerned about Robinson's constitutional right to a speedy trial, the Deseret News reported.
“Rushing to trial doesn't lead to closure. It leads to mistakes.”Staci Visser, defense attorney, KUER
The defense asked again that the death penalty be removed, which the judge did not grant, though he said he would consider expanding jury selection, KUER reported. Both sides agreed 3,000 juror questionnaires would be enough. The defense said it may seek a change of venue.
Last updated 31 October 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Every event links to the record it comes from. Allegations are attributed to whoever made them.
