Dec. 18, 2025
The top 10 Crime and Justice Stories of the Year - #6 THE UTAH ASSASSINATION - CHARLIE KIRK AND THE SHOT THAT SHOOK AMERICA
Reid Carter examines the political assassination that divided America along completely different lines than the Mangione case. September 10, 2025: Charlie Kirk, 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA and Trump's closest youth ally, shot in the neck during a campus event in Utah. Single bullet from 142 yards. Tyler Robinson, 22, surrendered the next day after his parents recognized him from surveillance footage. His trans partner shared his confession texts: "I had enough of his hatred." Death penalty sought. First in-person court appearance last week. Widow Erika Kirk took over Turning Point and publicly forgave the killer. Memorial drew 100,000. The assassination that became a rallying cry, not a celebration.
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Caalarogu Shark Media. Good morning, I'm Reed Carter. Thursday, December eighteenth,
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twenty twenty five. Yesterday we talked about Luigi Mangione, the
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CEO killer who became a folk hero. The assassination that
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millions celebrated, merchandise defense funds, Free Luigi hashtags today. The
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other assassination, the one that became a rallying cry instead
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of a celebration, The killing that intensified political divisions instead
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of transcending them. September tenth, twenty twenty five, Utah Valley
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University in aorum, Utah outdoor courtyards surrounded by tall buildings,
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first stop on Turning Point, USA's American Comeback Tour. Three
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thousand people waiting in the sunshine, students, supporters, curious onlookers.
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Security guards positioned near the stage but not on the rooftops.
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No drones monitoring the buildings, no metal detectors at the entrances.
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Just a normal campus day in what locals call Happy Valley.
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Twelve oh nine pm, Mountain time. Charlie Kirk appears, throws
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hats into the crowd, takes his position under the tent,
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ready to debate students about politics. Free speech. Whatever they
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want to argue about. That's what he does. That's what
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made him famous. Twelve twenty three PM, A student asks
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about mass shootings, gun violence, transgender people. Kirk starts to answer. Bang.
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Single shot from one hundred forty two yards away bolt
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action rifle fired from a rooftop hit Kirk in the neck.
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He collapsed, Security swarmed, students scattered, chaos in the courtyard.
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Charlie Kirk, thirty one years old, founder of Turning Point USA,
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co founder of the Conservative Youth Movement, Donald Trump's closest
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young ally, father of two, husband to Erica, pronounced dead
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at Timpanogos Regional Hospital the next day. Tyler Robinson, twenty
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two years old, surrendered to police in southwest Utah. His
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parents had recognized him from surveillance footage and convinced him
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to turn himself in. In his pocket text messages to
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his trans partner, confessing everything. I had enough of his hatred.
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Some hate can't be negotiated out. Two political assassinations in
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less than a year. One killer celebrated, one killer condemned,
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one victim mourned by millions, one victim whose death prompted
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merchandise sales Welcome to America. In twenty twenty five, I'm reed, Carter.
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This is celebrity Trials today, number six on our countdown
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of the top crime and justice stories of the year.
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Charlie Kirk, the Utah assassination, and the trial that will
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ask whether killing someone for their speech is terrorism. Let's
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begin Before we talk about the shooting, Let's talk about
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who Charlie Kirk was. Charles James Kirk born October fourteenth,
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nineteen ninety three in Arlington Heights, Illinois, middle class Christian
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family in the Chicago suburbs, raised on conservative politics and
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evangelical Christianity. Unlike most political commentators, Kirk never went to college.
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Got accepted to West Point, but his spot was given
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to the child of a congressman, or so the story goes.
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Either way, Kirk decided formal education wasn't for him. Instead,
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at eighteen years old, in twenty twelve, he co founded
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Turning Point USA with Bill Montgomery. The idea was simple,
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build a conservative youth movement. Go to college campuses, challenge
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progressive students to debate, create content, build an audience, change
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the culture. By twenty twenty five, Turning Point u S
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USA had become one of the most influential conservative organizations
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in America, chapters on over three thousand, five hundred college
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and high school campuses, millions of followers across social media,
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annual conferences drawing thousands of attendees, major Republican politicians speaking
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at their events. Kirk himself became one of the most
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recognized conservative voices in the country. Hosted The Charlie Kirk Show,
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one of the most listened to conservative podcasts, wrote multiple books,
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appeared on Fox News, regularly spoke at the Republican National Convention,
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and he was only thirty one years old, America's youngest
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conservative kingmaker. His political positions were exactly what you'd expect
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from someone in his lane, pro Trump, anti immigration, anti abortion,
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pro Israel, and notably consistently critical of transgender rights, gender
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affirming care, and what he called gender ideology. That last
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one matters for understanding what happened. Kirk wasn't subtle about
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his views on transgender issues, called gender affirming surgery, child mutilation,
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opposed transgender athletes competing in women's sports, mocked pronouns, platformed
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speakers who shared those views. His critics called him a transphobe.
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His supporters called him a defender of biological reality. Either way,
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his position was clear and consistent. In twenty twenty one,
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Kirk married Erica Frantsvi, former Miss Arizona, USA, faith based
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entrepreneur podcaster. They had two children together, a daughter born
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in August twenty twenty two a son born in May
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twenty twenty four. The family lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, in
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a four point seventy five million dollar estate. Kirk had
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a real estate portfolio worth millions. His organization paid him handsomely.
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By any measure, he was successful, but he was also polarizing.
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The Anti Defamation League accused Turning Point of providing a
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vast platform for extremists. Jewish groups were split on whether
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his pro Israel stance outweighed his willingness to platform anti
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Semitic figures. Progressive groups saw him as dangerous, Conservative groups
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saw him as essential. Here's the thing about Charlie Kirk.
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You didn't have to agree with him to recognize what
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he represented. He was effective, He built something real. He
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mobilized young conservatives in a way nobody else had. He
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helped Trump win the youth vote in twenty twenty four,
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and he genuinely seemed to believe what he preached. Whether
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you think his beliefs were righteous or repugnant, they weren't
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an act. September tenth, twenty twenty five, Kirk arrived at
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Utah Valley University for the first stop of the Fall
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American Comeback Tour. His wife, Riko wasn't with him, she
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was in Arizona with her hospitalized mother. Kirk was there
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with his security team, ready to do what he did best,
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debate students under a tent. The format was simple. Students
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line up, ask questions. Kirk responds, sometimes grees, usually disagrees,
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always creates content. That's the turning point. Model three thousand
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people showed up. The courtyard was packed. The weather was perfect,
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clear and sunny, perfect weather for a sniper. The question
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that came at twelve twenty three pm was about mass
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shootings and gun violence and transgender people. The student was
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asking about trans mass shooters whether there was a connection.
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Kirk started to answer, got about halfway through a sentence,
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then the bullet hit from one hundred and forty two
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yards away the rooftop of the Lozy Center building. A
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Mauser Model ninety eight bolt action rifle with a scope
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thirty oh six caliber, one shot center of the neck.
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Kirk collapsed. Security surrounded him, called for help, rushed him
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to the hospital, but there was nothing to be done.
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Charlie Kirk was pronounced dead later that afternoon. He was
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thirty one years old, left behind a wife, a three
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year old daughter, and a one year old son. Whatever
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you think of his politics, whatever you think of his positions,
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whatever you think of his rhetoric, he was a husband,
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a father, a human being shot in the neck while
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answering a question about mass shootings. The irony rights itself,
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but it's not funny. The manhunt lasted thirty three hours.
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FBI released surveillance footage of the shooter jumping off the
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rooftop after firing, running across campus disappearing. They found the
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rifle in a wooded area near the university, wrapped in
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a dark towel, bolt action scope a gift from the
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shooter's grandfather. DNA on the trigger matched Tyler James Robinson,
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twenty two years old from Washington, Utah, about two hundred
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and forty miles southwest of the university. Robinson's family are
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members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
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His grandmother said most of the family are Republicans, she
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didn't know a single Democrat. Robinson grew up shooting guns.
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Family photos showed trips to ranges and weapons displays. He
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graduated from Pineview High School in May twenty twenty one.
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Attended Dixie State University and later Utah State University, but
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dropped out and then something changed. According to his mother,
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Robinson had become more political in the past year, more
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pro gay and trans rights oriented, different from the rest
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of his conservative family. He'd also started dating his roommate,
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a person described in court documents as a biological male
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who was transitioning genders. They lived together in Saint George, Utah.
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Robinson wasn't registered with any political party, never voted. There's
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no evidence of his positions on immigration or labor or
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anything else typically associated with the left. Just one issue,
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transgender rights. Here's what investigators found. Before the shooting, Robinson
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had texted his partner about Kirk's upcoming visit to Utah
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Valley University, called it a stupid venue, accused Kirk of
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spreading hate. Robinson arrived on campus at eight twenty nine am,
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drove a gray dodge. Challenger wore a maroon T shirt,
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light shorts, black hat, changed into dark clothing on campus.
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Surveillance cameras caught him moving through stairwells up to a roof,
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across the roof to a shooting position at twelve twenty
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three pm. He fired the shot, then he jumped off
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the building, ran, hid the rifle in the woods, changed
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clothes again, disappeared. While the man hunt was underway, Robinson
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texted his partner, I had the opportunity to take out
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Charlie Kirk and I'm going to take it. His partner
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asked if he was the shooter. I am. I'm sorry why.
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I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be
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negotiated out. Robinson told his partner to delete the messages.
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The partner didn't. Meanwhile, Robinson's parents were watching the news,
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saw the surveillance footage recognized their son. When they finally
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reached him, Robinson implied he wanted to kill himself. His
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parents convinced him to come home. Once there, Robinson admitted
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he was the shooter, said he couldn't go to jail,
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just wanted to end it. A family friend, a retired
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sheriff's deputy convinced Robinson to surrender peacefully. The next evening,
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Robinson and his parents drove to the Washington County Sheriff's office.
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He turned himself in. FBI Director Cash Patel announced the
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arrest within thirty three hours of the shooting. Here's the
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psychological picture that emerges. A young man from a conservative
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Mormon family, dropped out of college, started dating a trans person,
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drifted away from his family's politics, became consumed by one issue.
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Decided that Charlie Kirk's anti trans rhetoric was hatred that
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couldn't be negotiated out, so he shot him. Utah Governor
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Spencer Cox said Robinson appeared to have become radicalized after
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dropping out of college, may have been influenced by aspects
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of internet culture. Had attended a family dinner where he
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expressed dislike of Kirk and discussed his upcoming visit to UVU.
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The bullet casings found at the scene were inscribed with
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messages one read hey fascist catch, followed by video game
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symbols references to internet culture memes the language of online radicalization.
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NPR spoke to researchers who study political violence. They said
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the inscriptions were performative, Robinson was thinking about how he'd
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be situated within the universe of mass shooters and high
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profile killers. After the shooting, Robinson reportedly joked in discord
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chats that his doppelganger had committed the crime, said he'd
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better also get rid of this manifesto. This wasn't spontaneous rage.
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This was planned, premeditated, calculated, and now Tyler Robinson faces
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the death penalty. September sixteenth, twenty twenty five, Utah County
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Attorney Jeffrey Gray announced charges aggravated murder, felony use of
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a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice for hiding
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the rifle and discarding his clothing, two counts of witness
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tampering for instructing his partner to delete texts and stay silent,
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one count of committing a violent offense in front of children.
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The suspect targeted Charlie Kirk based on his political expression.
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Gray said, if convicted, Robinson faces death by lethal injection.
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Last week, December eleventh, Robinson made his first in person
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court appearance provo courthouse. Heavy security streets blocked off nine
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deputies in the courtroom. He walked in calmly blue button
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up shirt, pink tie, handcuffed, smiled at his family in
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the front row. His mother wiped tears from her eyes.
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The hearing focused on media access. Defense wants camera's band.
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Prosecution doesn't oppose media presence. Judge hasn't ruled yet. Preliminary
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hearings set for May eighteenth, twenty twenty six, three days
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of testimony. The question isn't really whether Robinson killed Charlie Kirk.
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The text messages, the DNA, the surveillance footage, The evidence
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is overwhelming. The question is whether this was terrorism, Whether
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political assassination deserves the ultimate punishment, Whether killing someone for
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their speech is fundamentally different from killing them for any
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other reason. Tyler Robinson was twenty two years old when
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he pulled the trigger. He had no criminal record, no
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history of violence, just a grievance about transgender rights and
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a grandfather's rifle. Now he sits in Utah County jail,
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waiting to find out if the state will execute him.
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We'll be right back with the aftermath. The memorial that
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drew one hundred thousand and people, the widow who publicly
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forgave the killer, the Justice Department debating whether to charge
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Robinson with an anti Christian hate crime, and the comparison
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nobody wants to make. Why did America mourn Charlie Kirk
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but celebrate the death of Brian Thompson. Within hours of
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Kirk's death, the political machinery activated. President Trump called it
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a dark moment for America, blamed the radical left, posted
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on truth social calling for prayers, then called for a
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crackdown on leftist groups he claimed were responsible. Vice President J. D.
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Vance flew to Utah, retrieved Kirk's body, flew it to
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Arizona on Air Force two with Kirk's widow and friends.
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The Vice President and Charlie Kirk had been close. Kirk
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had encouraged Vance to run for Senate. Every living former
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president issued statements. Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden all condemned the violence.
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International leaders did the same, But underneath the official condolences,
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something uglier was happening. Within hours of Kirk's death, Some
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people on social media celebrated, called Kirk a fascist, said
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he got what he deserved, made jokes, created memes. The
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backlash was swift and brutal. Within a week, over one
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hundred people, lawyers, doctors, first responders, more than fifty teachers
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and professors had been censured, suspended, dismissed, or were under
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investigation for comments about Kirk's death. Jimmy Kimmel's show was
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suspended after pressure from the administration. The comedian had made
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remarks about the conservative reaction to Kirk's death. It became
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a cultural flashpoint. Free speech advocates on both sides were horrified,
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either by the crackdown on criticism of Kirk or by
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the callousness of celebrating his death. Nobody was happy. The
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conspiracy theories exploded immediately because Robinson's partner was trans Some
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