What charges is Tyler Robinson facing and where is the case filed?
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Executive summary
Tyler James Robinson has been formally charged in Utah with seven criminal counts stemming from the Sept. 10 fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, including an aggravated murder count that is eligible for the death penalty; the prosecution filed the case in Utah County and the matter is pending in Fourth District Court in Provo before Judge Tony Graf [1][2][3].
1. The formal charges: seven counts, including aggravated murder and related enhancements
Prosecutors charged Robinson with seven criminal counts that local reporting and official filings describe as including a single count of aggravated murder — a capital offense in Utah for which the county has said it will seek the death penalty — plus a slate of related counts: felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury (a first‑degree felony), two counts of obstruction of justice (second‑degree felonies), two counts of tampering with a witness (third‑degree felonies), and a violent‑offense‑in‑the‑presence‑of‑a‑child charge; some accounts summarize these as six felonies and one class A misdemeanor while other reporting lists seven felony counts with aggravating factors such as a victim‑targeting enhancement and a violent‑offense aggravator [1][4][5][6].
2. Where the case is filed and the court handling it
The criminal case was filed by the Utah County Attorney’s Office and is being litigated in Utah’s Fourth District Court in Provo, where Judge Tony Graf is presiding over motions about media access and other pretrial matters; Utah County announced the formal charges publicly and uploaded charging documents tied to that filing [2][3][7].
3. The prosecution’s posture: death‑penalty notice and public filing
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced the formal charging decision and signaled the county would pursue capital punishment for the aggravated murder count, characterizing the shooting as an “American tragedy” in the county’s release and asking that charging documents be posted for public review; state reporting consistently notes the county’s intent to seek the death penalty in this matter [2][1][4].
4. Defense actions and media‑access disputes shaping the docket
Robinson’s defense team has actively litigated pretrial restrictions, asking the court to limit media access and to disqualify the Utah County Attorney’s Office — with at least one motion filed under seal — arguing intense publicity and alleged leaks threaten a fair trial, while a coalition of national and local news organizations presses for openness and wants transcripts and camera access preserved; Judge Graf has already imposed some restrictions on images and warned he could terminate broadcasts for further violations [8][3][9][7].
5. What the charging papers say about context and what reporting does not resolve
Charging documents and multiple outlets link Robinson to the Sept. 10 shooting at Utah Valley University that killed Charlie Kirk and note alleged aggravating facts such as a victim‑targeting enhancement and a violent‑offense‑in‑the‑presence‑of‑a‑child aggravator, but public reporting also makes clear there remain unanswered factual and motive questions that will be developed in discovery — reporting to date quotes the filings and officials but does not, in these sources, present a full evidentiary record or the sealed defense filings [10][11][1].