The man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday afternoon in Utah, United States, where prosecutors are expected to formally charge him with murder.
Robinson is expected to attend the hearing remotely by video from his jail cell.
This is what we know:
What’s expected on Tuesday?
Robinson is behind bars as Utah County prosecutors move closer to filing charges in the killing.
Kirk, credited with rallying the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump reclaim the White House in 2024, was shot dead last week at Utah Valley University. Robinson was arrested two days later after a manhunt.
Prosecutors say charges could come on Tuesday, but the deadline could stretch to Friday if more time is needed to review what they call a “mountain of evidence”.
If the filing happens today, a news conference is likely.
“Assuming that we can file charges by Tuesday, we will hold a press conference to explain those charges and the next steps in this case. That press conference will be held Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at noon [18:00 GMT],” County Attorney Jeff Gray said in a press statement on Saturday.
The charges are expected to mirror Robinson’s initial booking.
“Our ability to file charges depends on how quickly we can gather and carefully review mountains of evidence. We will be thorough and deliberate at every stage of this case,” Gray added.
If charges are filed on Tuesday, Robinson’s first court appearance will follow the same day at 3pm (21:00 GMT) over Webex.
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What charges are likely to be filed?
It is not clear yet, but Robinson was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail early on Friday morning on suspicion of three crimes:
- aggravated murder,
- obstruction of justice, and
- felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury.
Prosecutors have listed these offences in an affidavit filed with the court.
According to Gray, under Utah law, aggravated murder is punishable by death, life in prison without parole, or 25 years to life with the possibility of parole. Obstruction of justice carries a penalty of one to 15 years in prison, while felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury carries a sentence of five years to life.
According to a Public Safety Assessment Report filed in Utah state court, Robinson has no prior convictions and no history of violent offences.
He is currently being held without bail.
What else is happening on Tuesday?
FBI Director Kash Patel is preparing to face tough congressional scrutiny over his handling of the investigation into the killing of Kirk. Congresspeople are likely to press him on early missteps, including a now-corrected social media post wrongly claiming that a suspect was already in custody.
Patel will testify before the Senate and House judiciary committees on Tuesday and Wednesday, where questions will likely extend beyond the Kirk case to his broader leadership of the FBI. Congresspeople are expected to challenge him on whether he can steady an agency riven by political infighting and internal turmoil since his appointment, at a time when toxic partisan divisions continue to grip the nation.
The hearing will start at 9am (13:00 GMT) at the Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216. A livestream will be available here.
What else do we know about Robinson?
Robinson grew up in St George, southwestern Utah, where his parents, married for about 25 years, run a granite countertop business.
Eldest of the three brothers, he lived with his family in a six-bedroom home. Social media posts show an active, close-knit household that travelled widely and enjoyed outdoor activities such as boating, riding in all-terrain vehicles, and target shooting.
A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since childhood, Robinson excelled in school, making the honour roll and scoring in the 99th percentile on national tests.
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In 2021, he earned a scholarship to Utah State University but left after one semester. He is now a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship programme at Dixie Technical College in St George.
State records show he is registered to vote with no party affiliation and did not participate in the last two general elections. In their affidavit to the court, prosecutors said a family member of Robinson had told them that the 22-year-old had become “more political in recent years”. The relative also told prosecutors about a family dinner Kirk had attended before the September 10 shooting, where they had discussed Kirk. Robinson had mentioned, during that visit, about Kirk’s upcoming event at Utah Valley University.
“They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate,” the prosecutors wrote in the affidavit, referring to Robinson and the relative they spoke to.
Prosecutors have also said the ammunition recovered at the scene bore engravings tied to meme culture and anti-fascist themes.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox also said Robinson’s partner and flatmate, whom he described as “incredibly cooperative”, was transgender. However, though Kirk had anti-transgender views, investigators have not confirmed any link between that and his assassination.
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