Preliminary Hearing for Accused Shooter of Charlie Kirk

Judge Tony Graff is presiding over a five-day preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, who is 23 years old and is accused of murdering Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA.

On the first day of the hearing, which took place on Monday, prosecutors showed several videos related to the incident that occurred on September 10, 2025. This was when the 31-year-old conservative activist was shot at Utah Valley University. Notably, the footage was not made available to the public.

Before three graphic videos were presented, Kirk’s family, including his parents and widow Erica, chose to leave the courtroom. Erica, dressed in black, was visibly emotional during the proceedings.

When Judge Graff began the showing of what seemed to be the moment Kirk was shot in the neck, the courtroom became quiet. Livestreamed coverage revealed gunfire and the ensuing screams from students who had been in the audience.

Graff maintained a composed demeanor until the gunshots were heard, at which point he returned to his chair and declared, “This concludes State’s Exhibit 8.”

Shortly after the event, graphic footage of Kirk’s daylight assassination surfaced online, showing a startling scene. As Kirk answered a question about violence regarding transgender individuals, he was attacked, with blood evident as he fell into his chair. That footage has since been removed and blurred on social media platforms.

Interestingly, Robinson seemed to smile occasionally during the hearing while conversing with his legal team.

The role of Judge Graff during this hearing is to ascertain whether there is sufficient evidence for Robinson to move to trial. Prosecutors claim they have obtained a confession from Robinson and other evidence, including messages exchanged with his transgender partner and roommate Lance Twiggs, is expected to be disclosed this week.

As it stands, Robinson has not yet entered a plea and faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.