A preliminary hearing in Provo, Utah has taken an unexpected turn as prosecutors are now permitted to present previously unseen footage central to the prosecution of the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Tyler Robinson, 23, is facing charges of aggravated murder for the death of Kirk, who was shot in the neck while speaking to students at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.
The prosecution is pursuing the death penalty, and Robinson has yet to enter a formal plea in the case.
The hearing, overseen by District Judge Tony Graf, has attracted significant attention, with high-profile figures like Donald Trump Jr. in attendance. Previously, Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, left the courtroom in tears as a police officer detailed the circumstances of her husband’s shooting.
On Tuesday, Judge Graf authorized the use of previously unreleased video, which prosecutors claim shows Robinson’s movements on the campus on the day of the incident, to be shown in court and made public.
David Hull, an agent with the Utah State Bureau of Investigation, guided the jurors through the footage, identifying a vehicle believed to be Robinson’s arriving at the campus around 8:30 am.
The driver, noted to be wearing a red T-shirt and shorts, was observed leaving the vehicle on foot.
Another clip purportedly captures the same individual descending a stairwell elsewhere on the campus, with Hull noting the footwear matched despite a change in clothing.
“He’s wearing different clothing, and he’s walking with a gait or a limp in this video,” Hull stated.
The most compelling footage shown in court reportedly captured a man on a rooftop of a campus building, whom Hull described as “crouching down and then crawling to the corner of the building.”
The individual is said to have remained at the roof’s edge until gunfire was heard around 12:20 pm, before leaping down onto grass while carrying what Hull described as ‘some kind of an object.’
The footage then allegedly displays the person moving toward a wooded area before departing from the university.
In another part of the timeline, agents claim the same individual was seen dining at a campus Chick-fil-A and engaging with members of Turning Point USA, the organization founded by Kirk.
Robinson was identified as a suspect following an extensive manhunt that involved local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. He reportedly surrendered to authorities after a family friend encouraged him to do so. Authorities have indicated he may have held a ‘leftist ideology’ and could have been radicalized online, though his defense team has not publicly addressed his guilt or innocence.
The preliminary hearing will continue this week as the judge decides if there is enough evidence for the case to advance to trial.
UNILAD has reached out to the Utah County Attorney’s Office for comment.