Utah Judge Nears Decision on Trial for Charlie Kirk Killing

A Utah judge is nearing a decision on whether there is sufficient evidence to try a man for the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as a weeklong preliminary hearing in Provo entered its final stages on Thursday. The hearing, which began on July 6, is examining charges against Tyler James Robinson, 23, who faces aggravated murder and six other counts for the September 10, 2025, shooting that killed Kirk during an outdoor Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem.

Prosecutors from the Utah County Attorney's Office allege Robinson meticulously planned and executed the killing, targeting Kirk over his political views. They presented a detailed timeline using campus surveillance footage showing a man they identify as Robinson arriving on campus around 8:30 a.m., changing clothes, and accessing the roof of a student center. Investigators testified that at 12:23 p.m., Kirk was struck in the neck by a single rifle shot while addressing a crowd of thousands; he later died at a hospital. A bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel was recovered from nearby woods.

A central piece of evidence presented Thursday was a recorded police interview with Robinson's...