The man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk admitted carrying out the shooting to his roommate and later broke down in tears, saying he regretted what he had done, a Utah court has heard.
Tyler Robinson, 23, faces aggravated murder and several other charges over Kirk’s fatal shooting on September 10, 2025.
During a preliminary hearing on Thursday, prosecutors played portions of an investigative interview with Robinson’s former roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, and presented text messages exchanged between the pair.
Robinson has not yet entered a plea. The hearings are being held to determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial, where Robinson could face the death penalty.
Some sections of Twiggs’ recorded interview and the text exchanges were redacted, while other material was shown only inside the courtroom and was not made available to the public.
In the interview, recorded in April, Twiggs said Robinson had asked for an engraving tool several months before the shooting. Robinson reportedly claimed he wanted to inscribe bullets ahead of a camping and hunting trip with his family.
Prosecutors also released images of the alleged murder weapon for the first time. The photographs showed a bolt-action rifle, along with engraved bullets and cartridges recovered from the crime scene and Robinson’s home.
Inscriptions found at the scene included “If you read this, you are gay” and “Fascist! Catch!” A cartridge marked “Test Shot” was discovered at the apartment Robinson shared with Twiggs.
Investigators allege Robinson fired a single shot that struck Kirk in the neck while the 31-year-old father of two was addressing a crowd at Utah Valley University.
Kirk, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump and the founder of conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA, was taken to hospital but later pronounced dead.
Twiggs told prosecutors that Robinson occasionally discussed politics and listened to political radio programmes while travelling to and from his work as an electrician.
Twiggs said he did not share Robinson’s interest in politics and did not “really contribute much” to their conversations.
According to the interview, Robinson mainly spoke about Trump and newly introduced legislation. Twiggs said the pair had never discussed Kirk or LGBT issues.
Twiggs was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his co-operation with investigators.
On the morning of the shooting, Robinson left their apartment at around 04:00, earlier than usual. Twiggs said he assumed Robinson had been assigned to a job farther away.
Following Kirk’s death, Robinson reportedly sent Twiggs a message telling him to “drop what you’re doing” and “look under your keyboard”.
A note addressed to Twiggs as “Luna” read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it.”
“I wish we could have lived in a world where this was not necessary.”
The note ended: “Please try and find joy in this life. I love you always, Tyler.”
Twiggs then asked Robinson by text: “You weren’t the one who did it, right?”
“I am,” Robinson replied in a message presented to the court. “I’m sorry.”
Asked why he had carried out the attack, Robinson allegedly responded that he had “had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
Robinson continued messaging Twiggs that evening while remaining close to the university campus. He said he had abandoned his rifle in bushes near the location where he changed his clothes and was waiting for an opportunity to retrieve it.
“If I’m able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence,” Robinson wrote.
He also complained that crickets were making too much noise and expressed concern that a police sniffer dog may have found the weapon. Officers and a patrol vehicle remained near the area.
“I’m just sitting in my car watching reels for another hour,” Robinson told Twiggs.
Robinson later said he was leaving Orem, more than 200 miles from the apartment the pair shared in St George, and was heading home.
Twiggs said Robinson returned to the apartment the following day but offered few details about what had happened.
“I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before and he said it was. He started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn’t done it and then kept going around and just doing stuff, I think to keep himself busy or distracted or something,” Twiggs said.
Robinson then told his roommate that he planned to surrender to authorities.
Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent Brian Davis testified that Robinson arrived at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at around 21:00 on September 11. He was accompanied by his parents and a family friend and was taken into custody.
Robinson’s defence lawyers have repeatedly objected to evidence and testimony introduced during the proceedings.
Earlier in the week, prosecutors presented an FBI report stating that DNA belonging to Robinson and Twiggs had been detected on a rifle, screwdriver and towel recovered during the investigation.
The defence spent several hours questioning the analyst who signed the report, focusing on laboratory procedures, testing methods, interpretation and possible margins of error.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and his parents, Kathryn and Robert, attended the hearings throughout the week. Donald Trump Jr and his wife were also present.
Robinson’s parents and two of his brothers sat behind him in court, according to the Associated Press.
His mother, Amber Robinson, reportedly cried as several of her son’s messages were read aloud.
