'I had the opportunity,' suspected Charlie Kirk assassin allegedly told roommate

PROVO — Tyler James Robinson messaged his roommate on Sept. 10, saying to look under Robinson's keyboard at home.

"I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I'm going to take it," the note said, according to charging documents.

Robinson, the man suspected of shooting and killing conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, was charged Tuesday with aggravated murder, a capital felony. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray filed a notice of intent Tuesday afternoon to seek the death penalty.

"I do not take this decision lightly. And it is a decision I have made independently, as county attorney, based solely on the available evidence and the circumstances and nature of the crime," he said.

Gray says he has heard from both the administrations of Gov. Spencer Cox and President Donald Trump, but "I was not pressured to make a decision (regarding the death penalty). I understood their feelings on it … but we didn't really discuss that."

During an extraordinary press conference on Tuesday, Gray meticulously went over his 10-page indictment, which laid out Robinson's alleged hate of Kirk's political viewpoints, how he had been planning the assassination for a week, how his parents — who shared opposite political views — suspected their son may have been the shooter and how Robinson was eventually convinced to turn himself in after he allegedly contemplated taking his own life.

In addition to aggravated murder, Robinson, 22, of Washington, in southern Utah, who is currently being held in the Utah County Jail, was charged in 4th District Court with felony discharge of a firearm causing injury, a first-degree felony; two counts of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; two counts of witness tampering, a third-degree felony; and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child, a class A misdemeanor.

The murder charge comes with a "victim targeting" penalty enhancement if convicted, which is defined in court documents as "Tyler James Robinson intentionally selected Charlie Kirk because of Tyler James Robinson's belief or perception regarding Charlie Kirk's political expression."

Gray said both the capital felony and first-degree felony charges were filed with aggravating factors, "because (Robinson) is believed to have targeted Charlie Kirk based on Charlie Kirk's political expression, and did so knowing that children were present and would witness the homicide."

"The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy," Gray said. "Charlie Kirk was first and foremost a father to two beautiful young children. He was a son, he was a brother and he was a friend. Like all murders, the senseless and needless taking of Charlie Kirk's life has shattered the lives of those he loved and those who loved him."

A text conversation

After Robinson's roommate found the note allegedly stating Robinson's plans to "take out" Kirk, the roommate messaged Robinson and asked if he was being serious, the charges state.

"You weren't the one who did it right????" the roommate asked.

"I am, I'm sorry," Robinson replied, according to the charges.

"Why?" the roommate asked.

"I had enough of (Kirk's) hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out," Robinson allegedly texted.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"A bit over a week I believe," Robinson replied.

During the messaging, the charges show Robinson also talks about trying to retrieve his rifle while not being detected. At times, he seems more concerned about leaving the rifle behind and what he will tell his father and grandfather about what happened to the weapon, according to the charges. Robinson then tells his roommate to "delete this exchange," charging documents say.

The roommate, however, is cooperating with police, according to investigators, and showed them the messages.

Parents suspected Robinson

The day after the shooting, and after police released a surveillance photo of the suspected gunman, "Robinson's mother saw the photo of the shooter in the news and thought the shooter looked like her son," according to the charges. She called him, and Robinson told her he had been home sick on Sept. 10. But Robinson's mother "expressed concern to her husband that the suspected shooter looked like Robinson. Robinson's father agreed."

"He also believed that the rifle that police suspected the shooter used matched a rifle that was given to his son as a gift. As a result, Robinson's father contacted his son and asked him to send a photo of the rifle. Robinson did not respond," the charges state.

In the messages between Robinson and his roommate — in which Robinson refers to the roommate as "my love" — Robinson at one point states that his father is calling him but that he is ignoring the call.

"Since Trump got into office (my dad) has been pretty diehard MAGA," he messaged, according to charges.

Robinson's parents told investigators that their son "had become more political and had started to lean more to the left – becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented. (The mother) stated that Robinson began to date his roommate, a biological male who was transitioning genders. This resulted in several discussions with family members, but especially between Robinson and his father, who have very different political views. In one conversation before the shooting, Robinson mentioned that Charlie Kirk would be holding an event at UVU, which Robinson said was a 'stupid venue' for the event. Robinson accused Kirk of spreading hate," charging documents state.

Gray noted in his charges that at the time the fatal shot was fired, "Mr. Kirk was answering a question about mass shootings by transgender individuals." When asked on Tuesday if there is evidence to show the timing of the shot and the question was more than a coincidence, Gray said that he would "leave that up to a jury to decide."

When Robinson's father finally spoke to his son on the phone, "Robinson implied that he planned to take his own life. Robinson's parents were able to convince him to meet at their home," the charges state. "As they discussed the situation, Robinson implied that he was the shooter and stated that he couldn't go to jail and just wanted to end it. When asked why he did it, Robinson allegedly explained there is too much evil and the guy (Charlie Kirk) spreads too much hate."

Robinson's parents eventually convinced their son to speak with a family friend, who is a retired Washington County sheriff's deputy, and "the family friend met with Robinson and his parents and convinced Robinson to turn himself in," according to the charges.

The charges

When police searched Robinson's room, they found another shell casing "with etchings like the etchings found on the shells in the rifle near UVU. Police also found several targets with bullet holes in Robinson's home," according to the charges.

Gray said the two obstruction charges were filed because Robinson allegedly tried to hide his rifle after he used it and disposed of the clothes he was wearing at the time of the shooting. Robinson told the retired sheriff's deputy that he got rid of his clothes "in different areas," the charges state.

The witness tampering charges were filed for Robinson allegedly telling his roommate to delete his messages and for telling the roommate, "If any police ask you questions, ask for a lawyer and stay silent," the charges state.

Security around the Utah County Health and Justice Center, where the press conference took place, was extremely tight Tuesday morning. Deputies and officers from the Utah County Sheriff's Office and Provo Police Department were in heavy presence outside the building. Officers with police K-9s were seen going through the parking lot and the exterior of the building.

Robinson made his initial appearance in the 4th District Court on Tuesday afternoon. He was informed of the charges filed against him and that prosecutors intended to seek the death penalty. Robinson was also determined to be indigent, and defense attorney Greg Skordas, who was present in the courtroom, said he was helping to get a defense attorney assigned to Robinson.

In Utah, an attorney representing an indigent defendant in a death penalty case must meet certain stringent qualifications, such as having prior experience in a homicide case.

Robinson stated his name during the hearing but otherwise remained silent as he appeared via livestream from the Utah County Jail.

Prosecutors on Tuesday also filed a protective order against Robinson on behalf of Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, which the judge approved. In addition to having no contact with the Kirk, the protective order states that Robinson "must tell the bailiff" if he is attending a court hearing that Erika Kirk will also be at.

His next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29 at 10 a.m.

Charlie Kirk killed at UVU

On Sept. 10, Kirk, 31, had been sitting under a tent of an outdoor amphitheater-courtyard area speaking in front of approximately 3,000 people when he was shot in the neck by a man on the roof of the nearby Losee Center building, from about 175 to 200 yards away.

Investigators recovered a Mauser Model 98, .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle with a scope in a nearby wooded area. Bullet casings with inscriptions written on them were also recovered.

"Inscriptions on a fired casing read, 'Notices Buldge OWO what's this?' Inscriptions on the three unfired casings read: 'hey fascist! CATCH!'" followed by an up arrow symbol, a right arrow symbol and three down arrow symbols.

"A second unfired casing read, 'O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!,' A third unfired casing read, 'If you read This, you are GAY Lmao,'" according to a police booking affidavit.

"Bella Ciao" is an Italian song dedicated to those who fought against the occupying troops of Nazi Germany and other fascist forces during the liberation of Italy.

Robinson was in custody by late Thursday and arrested by the State Bureau of Investigations and the FBI early Friday in southern Utah. After being arrested in southern Utah, he was taken to Utah County, where he was booked into jail.

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