Charlie Kirk murder: New surveillance footage presented at preliminary hearing

Surveillance video footage showing a man running across a rooftop after Charlie Kirk's death was shown Tuesday during suspect Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing in a Utah court.

Prosecutors presented this new footage on the second day of the hearing. It shows a man running across a rooftop on the Utah Valley University campus, then jumping to the ground holding an unidentified object. Investigators say it is Tyler Robinson, 23, accused of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, while he was speaking to a university audience.

David Hull, lead investigator for the Utah State Bureau of Investigation, guided the court through the various video clips. According to his testimony, the cameras captured Robinson on campus several times that day. His vehicle is first filmed entering a parking lot, and then a man wearing a burgundy shirt, Converse sneakers, and gray or khaki shorts is seen walking.

The same individual reportedly returned to campus approximately 90 minutes before the shooting, this time dressed differently and walking with a slight limp. Footage shows him then accessing the roof of the Losee building by climbing over a railing. Shortly after the fatal shot, he runs across the roof, climbs down carrying an object, and leaves the campus.

A rifle was found "in the wooded area where we believe Mr. Robinson entered," Hull said. The investigator also indicated that in the early hours of September 11, while a manhunt was underway, an officer had contact with Robinson near the campus and noted his license plate number.

Robinson is being prosecuted for aggravated murder, among other charges. He has not yet entered a plea. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, which the defense is trying to avoid. Attorney Kathy Nester has also attempted to have much of the video evidence excluded, arguing that the footage was edited and that its original creators were not present in court.

During cross-examination, Hull acknowledged that at least one other weapon had been discovered on campus that day. He also admitted that no shell casings had been found on the roof, near a depression in the gravel identified as a possible prone firing position, offering a direct line of sight to the stage where Kirk was speaking. The defense further noted that some witnesses had described a different suspect on the roof, and that others had claimed to have seen a bald man driving the vehicle attributed to Robinson.

The preliminary hearing is expected to continue throughout the week. Judge Graf does not have to rule on the guilt or innocence of the accused, but must determine whether the evidence presented by the prosecution is sufficient to send the case to trial.