New surveillance footage shown in preliminary hearing of man accused of killing Charlie Kirk

Prosecutors have released new surveillance footage that they say shows Tyler Robinson, the man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk, appearing on the rooftop near the scene of the killing and jumping off while holding an object.

Prosecutors have released new surveillance footage that they say shows Tyler Robinson, the man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk, appearing on the rooftop near the scene of the killing and jumping off while holding an object. The video was played on the second day of a preliminary hearing in a Utah court, where Robinson, 23, faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder, in connection with the September 2025 shooting.

The preliminary hearing, expected to continue all week, will determine whether there is sufficient evidence for Robinson to stand trial. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Robinson’s lawyers have objected to much of the video evidence, arguing that it had been edited and that those who originally filmed the footage were not on the stand.

Prosecution witness David Hull, Utah’s State Bureau of Investigation’s lead investigator, walked the court through the security footage on Tuesday. Hull testified that the footage showed Robinson’s vehicle entering a campus parking garage before a man in a maroon shirt and Converse shoes was seen walking across campus. The same man later returned to campus, bought food from Chick-fil-A, and headed into a wooded area near the university. Hull also testified that no shell casings were discovered on the rooftop near a suspected “sniper pad,” but an impression in the gravel appeared to indicate where a shooter had lain prone with a direct line of sight to where Kirk had been speaking.

Robinson’s defense team objected repeatedly during the first two days of the hearing to video exhibits and testimony on grounds including hearsay. They also pointed out that some witnesses had described a different suspect on the rooftop, while others claimed a bald man had been driving the vehicle alleged to be Robinson’s. Judge Graf will not make a determination of guilt or innocence but will decide whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial. Erika Kirk, the victim’s wife, came face-to-face with her husband’s alleged killer in court as the hearing continues.