A 23-year-old Utah man has entered a not guilty plea in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as a judge determined that capital charges may proceed. Tyler Robinson faces aggravated murder alongside six additional counts related to the September 2025 incident at Utah Valley University in Orem, where Kirk was struck in the neck during a speaking engagement.
Robinson’s defense team had sought to exclude the death penalty from potential sentencing options, but the judge rejected their request. Prosecutors successfully argued that circumstances surrounding the shooting—including the presence of children and other bystanders in the vicinity—constituted aggravating factors warranting a capital trial. The prosecution presented evidence including DNA samples allegedly linking Robinson to the murder weapon, video footage from the campus, and statements from his roommate during the hearing.
Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while addressing an audience at the university. His family attended Tuesday’s proceedings, with a statement afterward describing the ruling as an important development in their quest for justice. Robinson is scheduled to return to court on October 23 for trial date scheduling. He surrendered to authorities the day following the shooting.
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