Previously unreleased surveillance footage was presented in court on Tuesday during the preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, the 23-year-old man accused of killing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in 2025, as reported by The New York Post.
The videos, introduced by prosecutors in a Utah courtroom, were accompanied by testimony from former Utah state investigator David Hull, who described Robinson’s alleged movements on the campus of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, the day Kirk was fatally shot.
According to Hull, the surveillance recordings show Robinson arriving on campus, leaving, returning later in different clothing, and eventually climbing to the roof of a campus building before the shooting.
Prosecutors also introduced an FBI report stating that DNA samples likely matching Robinson and Lance Twiggs were recovered from evidence collected near the scene.
According to the report, the DNA was found on a towel wrapped around a firearm discovered near the campus and on a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where investigators allege the shots were fired.
Hull testified that Robinson, who lived approximately three hours from the university, spent time walking around campus, made contact with Turning Point USA representatives, and stopped for lunch at Chick-fil-A before returning later in the day.
During his testimony, Hull described one of the surveillance recordings shown in court.
“This is Mr. Robinson returning to the campus on foot. … You can see he is wearing the same clothing as in the previous video. … It’s a maroon colored t-shirt … and then Converse shoes.”
Another surveillance video showed an individual wearing different clothing. When prosecutors asked Hull why he believed the person shown was still Robinson, he pointed to several similarities visible in the footage.
“The shoes are the same. And the images that we have are, from my viewing and seeing Mr. Robinson on the video, it’s the same person. … He is wearing different clothing, and he also is walking with a gait or a limp in this video.”
Law enforcement sources previously told ABC News that investigators believe the limp may have resulted from Robinson allegedly concealing a rifle beneath his clothing.
District Judge Tony Graf overruled defense objections and permitted the surveillance videos to be shown during the hearing.
The evidence was presented on the second day of the preliminary hearing, where prosecutors are seeking to establish probable cause for Robinson to stand trial. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
Prosecutors told the court they intend to introduce numerous additional pieces of evidence, including a recorded interview involving Lance Twiggs, whom investigators allege received text messages in which Robinson confessed to the shooting.
Defense attorneys sought to prevent both the surveillance footage and videos of Kirk’s death from being shown in court, arguing that the material could prejudice future jurors and violate the rights of the victim’s family.
The defense also asked the court to limit media camera access during the proceedings.
Judge Graf allowed cameras to remain in the courtroom but prohibited the broadcast of certain graphic evidence.
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, attended the hearing on Tuesday after entering the courthouse through a private entrance, according to reports.
Monday marked her first time in the courtroom with the man accused of killing her husband. According to reports, she left the courtroom before video evidence of the shooting was shown.
Robinson was observed taking notes during portions of the hearing while consulting with his attorneys.
Several members of Kirk’s family also attended the proceedings, including his parents, Robert and Kathryn Kirk.
Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk sat beside her mother-in-law during the hearing. Donald Trump Jr., Bettina Anderson, and Jack Posobiec were also present in the courtroom.
Before the hearing began, Kirk’s family released a public statement addressing the ongoing legal proceedings.
“We remain deeply grateful for the support, prayers, and kindness we have received. This outpouring has sustained us during the darkest days of our lives,” the statement read.
“Out of respect for the judicial process, we will not be commenting further at this time. We ask for continued privacy as we navigate this process and immense grief,” the family concluded.
The preliminary hearing is continuing as prosecutors seek to convince the court there is sufficient evidence to move the case toward trial. Robinson faces the possibility of the death penalty if he is tried and convicted.
