Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university, was charged on Tuesday with aggravated murder.
The charge means Robinson could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Kirk last week at Utah Valley University in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometres) south of Salt Lake City.
“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said in announcing the charges. He said Robinson’s DNA was found on trigger of the gun used to kill Kirk.
Kirk was gunned down on Sept. 10 as he spoke with students and died soon after. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby campus building.
A Utah Valley University police officer was watching the crowd from an “elevated position” and identified the roof of the Losee Center as a potential position for a shooter, Gray said. The officer found evidence on the roof immediately, he said, and spurred officers to direct their attention to surveillance video leading to the roof.
Robinson, 22, also was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. He was scheduled to appear on camera for a virtual court hearing Tuesday afternoon.
It was unclear whether Robinson had an attorney who could speak on his behalf, and his family has declined to comment to The Associated Press.
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