Suspect in Charlie Kirk killing charged with aggravated murder and weapon and obstruction offenses
Gray announced he is filing charges on these counts:
1. aggravated murder
2. felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury
3. obstruction of justice for moving and concealing the rifle used in the shooting
4. obstruction of justice for disposing the clothing he wore during the shooting
5. witness tampering for directing his roommate to delete his incriminating text
6. witness tampering for directing his roommate to stay silent if police questioned him
7. commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child
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Updated at 20.25 CEST
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Gray says he talked to officials from both the governor’s office and the Trump administration before filing charges, but said the decision to seek the death penalty was his.
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Gray says he wants to ensure a fair and impartial trial.
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CNN reports that Robinson confessed to his roommate in a series of messages after the incident, according to the charging documents filed today.
Roommate: you weren’t the one who did it right????
Robinson: I am, I’m sorry
Roommate: I thought they caught the person?
Robinson: no, they grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in similar clothing. I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down.
In another part of the exchange, Robinson’s roommate asked why he did it. “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” Robinson replied, according to the documents.
Robinson also told his roommate that the rifle he allegedly used belonged to his grandfather. He sent several messages about how he might retrieve it while police were searching for him in the hours after the shooting.
“I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpas rifle,” Robinson said in the messages, and appeared to consider whether it could be traced back to him.
“I might have to abandon it and hope they don’t find prints. how the f*ck will I explain losing it to my old man,” he said, according to the documents.
Robinson also told his roommate to delete the messages and not to speak to police or the media.
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The NYT reports that according to charging documents, Tyler Robinson’s roommate and romantic partner appears to have discovered that Robinson carried out the Kirk shooting when Robinson sent a text saying: “Drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard.”
That’s where the partner found a note that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to the charges.
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Robinson’s mother told the county sheriff’s office that her son had accused Charlie Kirk of spreading hate, Gray says.
While talking to his parents at their home, Robinson allegedly implied that he shot Kirk, “and stated that he couldn’t go to jail, and just wanted to end it”, Gray says.
When Robinson was then asked why he did it, Robinson said that Kirk “spreads too much hate”, Gray said.
“There’s too much evil in the guy,” Robinson allegedly told his parents, Gray says.
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Updated at 20.52 CEST
Robinson’s mother told the police that her son had “become more political and started to move more to the left” over the last year or so and had become “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented”, Gray says.
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Suspected Kirk shooter’s mother identified him in photo released by authorities
Gray says: “Robinson’s mother saw the photo of the shooter in the news and thought the shooter looked like her son.”
“Robinson’s mother called her son and asked him where he was. He said he was at home sick and had been home sick on September 10,” he adds.
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Updated at 20.42 CEST
Suspect may have concealed murder weapon in trousers, says Utah county attorney
The suspect might have concealed the murder weapon in his pants as he walked on campus, tipping off authorities with his “unusual gait”, Gray says.
“As he proceeds across the campus, he is seen walking with an unusual gait … The suspect walks with very little bending in his right leg, consistent with a rifle being hidden in his pants,” he adds.
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Updated at 20.53 CEST
The New York Times reports that in the charging documents prosecutors reproduced a text exchange that Tyler Robinson had with his roommate and romantic partner shortly after the shooting, in which Robinson admits to the assassination, they say.
“I had enough of his hatred,” Robinson texted, referring to Charlie Kirk. “Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
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Gray talks through the surveillance and physical evidence collected at Utah Valley University after Kirk’s shooting, including video evidence of a suspect running across campus and impressions in the gravel consistent with a sniper on the roof where the shots originated from.
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There is now a feed at the top of the blog if you’d like to follow the briefing.
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DNA “consistent with” Robinson was found on the trigger of the bolt-action rifle believed to have been used in the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Gray says.
After allegedly shooting Kirk, Robinson hid the gun, discarded his clothing and told his roommate to delete incriminating text messages and not talk to police, Gray says. Children were present at the event where Kirk was fatally shot, he adds.
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Updated at 20.28 CEST
Utah to seek death penalty in Kirk shooting case
Gray also confirms that he will be seeking the death penalty.
“I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently,” Gray says.
As a result, the defendant will continue to be held without bail in the Utah county jail.
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Suspect in Charlie Kirk killing charged with aggravated murder and weapon and obstruction offenses
Gray announced he is filing charges on these counts:
1. aggravated murder
2. felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury
3. obstruction of justice for moving and concealing the rifle used in the shooting
4. obstruction of justice for disposing the clothing he wore during the shooting
5. witness tampering for directing his roommate to delete his incriminating text
6. witness tampering for directing his roommate to stay silent if police questioned him
7. commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child
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Updated at 20.25 CEST
The Utah county attorney Jeff Gray is now holding a press conference to explain charges and the next steps in the case of Tyler Robinson suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk.
I’ll bring you all the key developments here.
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Updated at 20.12 CEST
Summary: Kash Patel grilled by Senate committee
FBI director Kash Patel’s testimony before the Senate judiciary committee has finally wrapped after more than four hours.
The appearance twice exploded into a shouting match between Kash Patel and Democratic senator Cory Booker and later Adam Schiff. Patel defended his leadership of the FBI, denying that he has politicized the agency and ordered firings of agents and personnel over their work on cases related to Donald Trump or the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. “No one at the FBI is terminated for case assignments alone,” Patel said, in careful wording picked apart by Democrats.
He also defended his actions over prematurely posting on social media that the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing had been found, only for that person to be released. Democratic senator Dick Durbin and others said Patel’s actions pointed to his lack of experience and “sparked mass confusion” during the investigation.
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Updated at 20.12 CEST
