The man accused of fatally shooting right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk appeared in person for the first time in a Utah courtroom on Thursday.
Tyler Robinson, 22, sat calmly as attorneys discussed preliminary matters in what is expected to become one of the most closely watched criminal trials in the United States.
Clean-shaven and dressed in a light-colored shirt and tie, Robinson was permitted to appear without prison attire following an earlier ruling by the judge.
Kirk was shot dead on a college campus in Utah in September, triggering widespread grief among conservatives and renewed calls from President Donald Trump for a crackdown on what he labelled the “radical left.”
Robinson was arrested a day after the September 10 shooting, after his family urged him to surrender when they recognised him in images released by investigators.
He is charged with aggravated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted.
Investigators allege Robinson fired at Kirk from a rooftop overlooking Utah Valley University, motivated by disagreement with the influential activist’s political views. Authorities say they recovered text messages between Robinson and his roommate — identified only as “a biological male who was transitioning genders” — in which the roommate asked him why he committed the crime.
“I had enough of his hatred,” Robinson allegedly replied. “Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
Kirk, a father of two, built a large following on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, where he championed conservative causes and criticised the transgender rights movement.
Following his death, several individuals faced backlash or job losses after comments they made online or publicly about the killing drew criticism from conservatives. ABC briefly suspended comedian Jimmy Kimmel after government pressure, following remarks suggesting the Trump-aligned Maga movement was using the incident for political gain.
