A man accused of the assassination of Charlie Kirk is facing charges of aggravated murder, with prosecutors pushing for the death penalty. Tyler Robinson allegedly shot Kirk with a bolt-action rifle from a nearby campus building during a rally at Utah Valley University. In addition to the murder charge, Robinson also faces charges of felony discharge of a firearm and obstructing justice.

Robinson, 22, was set to appear in a virtual court hearing. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray has announced the intention to seek the death penalty. Robinson is facing a total of seven charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and committing a violent crime in the presence of children.

During a press conference, Gray stated that the decision to seek the death penalty was made independently based on the evidence and circumstances of the crime. Robinson surrendered to authorities after a 33-hour manhunt, prompted by a confession he made to friends in a Discord group. DNA evidence has linked Robinson to the crime scene, and investigators have gathered information from his family and friends.

It was reported that Robinson harbored animosity towards Kirk and identified with a leftist ideology. Investigators uncovered a message from Robinson indicating his intent to harm Kirk. Authorities revealed that Robinson had a history of engaging with extremist content online, as noted by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. The FBI director confirmed the recovery of a note suggesting Robinson’s plan to target Kirk, underscoring the premeditated nature of the crime.