The man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk has pleaded not guilty to all charges, clearing the way for prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in a case that has drawn intense public attention.
Tyler Robinson, 23, appeared before a court in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday and denied aggravated murder, a capital offence in Utah, as well as six other charges linked to the shooting at a campus event on September 10, 2025.
Judge Tony Graf ruled that prosecutors can seek the death penalty at trial after rejecting efforts by Robinson's defence team to have capital punishment removed from the case.
Prosecutors argued that circumstances surrounding the shooting supported a death sentence, pointing to the allegation that Robinson fired into a crowd while children were present.
Kirk, 31, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem when he was shot in the neck.
Kirk was credited with helping propel the youth vote for Donald Trump and had become a prominent conservative voice among young Americans.
Robinson, dressed in a grey suit, appeared in court alongside his lawyers and was seen consulting with them during the proceedings.
Kirk's widow, Erika, who has two children with the slain activist, attended the hearing together with his parents, Robert and Kathryn.
In a statement issued after the ruling, the Kirk family said the decision "marks an important step" in their "pursuit of justice".
"Every step in this process carries the weight of all that Charlie's murder has taken from his family, especially his children who will grow up without their father," the statement added.
Tuesday's arguments came after a five-day preliminary hearing held in July, where prosecutors presented evidence they said established probable cause for Robinson to face trial.
The evidence included DNA allegedly linking Robinson to the rifle believed to have been used in the killing, as well as other items recovered after the shooting. Prosecutors also pointed to statements they say Robinson made to people close to him.
The court also heard a recorded interview with Robinson's roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, who prosecutors say was told about the shooting by Robinson.
"There is a mountain of evidence that proves that he is the shooter," prosecutor Ryan McBride told the court on Tuesday.
McBride said video footage showed Robinson "dressed to kill" while on the university campus on the day Kirk was shot.
"We know that the defendant is the shooter… first, because of the video evidence; second, because of the DNA; third, because of his admissions; and fourth, because of circumstantial evidence," McBride said.
Prosecutors have also linked the alleged killing to Robinson's views about Kirk and his politics.
They said Robinson, a former apprentice electrician, was in a relationship with his roommate and considered Kirk's conservative positions, particularly his views on transgender issues, "repugnant". Prosecutors presented this as the motive behind the alleged attack.
The prosecution further argued that the circumstances of the shooting made the case eligible for the death penalty.
"He was playing, in effect, a game of ballistic roulette," prosecutor Chad Grunander told the court, referring to the danger posed to people around Kirk when the gun was allegedly fired.
"It's been 356 days since Tyler Robinson assassinated Charlie Kirk," Grunander added. "It's time for him, the defendant, to be bound over for trial and arraigned. Today."
The defence challenged the prosecution's case and sought to cast doubt on the evidence presented against Robinson.
During the July hearing, his lawyers questioned the procedures followed by investigators and challenged the qualifications of some experts who gave evidence.
They have also repeatedly opposed the decision to allow cameras to livestream proceedings in the case.
Judge Graf heard further arguments on the issue during a sealed hearing on Tuesday morning before closing arguments began. He ultimately ruled in favour of allowing the proceedings to remain open to cameras, citing transparency in a case that has generated conspiracy theories.
Robinson's lawyers also challenged the prosecution's claims about the presence of other people during the shooting. They argued that, apart from Kirk, none of the people in the crowd were struck by bullets.
Evidence presented during the July hearing showed prosecutors' account of Robinson's movements on the university campus before and during the shooting.
They alleged that he repeatedly scouted the area on the day of the attack, interacted with Turning Point USA members and ate at Chick-fil-A before later returning in different clothing.
McBride said the second outfit was designed to conceal the rifle Robinson allegedly carried.
The prosecutor said it included "long pants to obscure the rifle he had concealed down his pants".
Prosecutors also told the court that Robinson's DNA was found on his grandfather's rifle, which was allegedly hidden in a wooded area near the campus after the shooting.
His DNA was also allegedly recovered from the towel used to wrap the rifle and from a screwdriver found at the scene.
McBride further said markings on shell casings recovered from the shooting allegedly matched a Dremel tool found at the home Robinson shared with Twiggs.
Twiggs' recorded interview with prosecutors was played during the July proceedings. He told the court that Robinson had confessed to the shooting, broke down in tears and said he wished he had not committed the act.
Robinson later surrendered to authorities the following day, accompanied by members of his family and a neighbour.
He is scheduled to return to court on October 23, when a date for the trial is expected to be set.