Utah prosecutors said they will seek the death penalty for 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who is suspected of murdering Charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative activist and ally of Donald Trump. About reports Reuters.
On September 10, Robinson fired a rifle shot from the roof of the Utah Valley University campus, fatally wounding Kirk in the neck during a speech to an audience of three thousand, according to investigators. The case files include text messages in which the suspect admits his guilt and explains the actions as “hatred” to Kirk’s speeches.
District Attorney Jeffrey Gray said Robinson faces seven charges, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and attempting to force a witness to suppress evidence. His DNA was found on the weapon from which the shot was fired.
The suspect appeared before the court for the first time via video link from the prison where he is being held. The next hearing is scheduled for September 29. Investigators believe that the motive for the crime was Kirk’s political views. Utah law provides for the death penalty only for aggravated murder.
The murder of the 31-year-old co-founder of the Turning Point USA movement caused a wide response in the United States and again brought to the fore discussions about the rise of political violence in the country. US President Donald Trump and a number of Republican politicians immediately called for the harshest punishment for the attacker, while opponents warn that the case could become a tool for political pressure on the opposition.
