Lead

Prosecutors in Utah have released new surveillance footage that they say shows Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, on the campus of Utah Valley University on the day of the shooting. The footage, presented on the second day of Robinson's preliminary hearing, includes images of a man believed to be Robinson running across a rooftop shortly after the fatal shooting, as reported by the BBC.

The hearing, expected to continue all week, will determine whether there is sufficient evidence for Robinson, 23, to stand trial. Robinson faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, according to both the BBC and The Guardian.

Coverage Comparison

Two news organisations, the BBC and The Guardian, have reported on the preliminary hearing, with slightly different emphases in their coverage.

The BBC focused on the newly released surveillance footage, highlighting that it shows Robinson running across a rooftop after the shooting and appears to show the suspect jumping off the roof while holding an object. The Guardian's report centred on the video showing Robinson entering the campus and climbing onto a roof where prosecutors say he fired the fatal shot.

Both outlets reported that prosecutors are seeking the death penalty and that Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder. The Guardian added details about DNA evidence linking Robinson to the weapon believed to be used in the killing and noted that Robinson allegedly confessed in a note he left to his roommate and romantic partner.

Key Claims

  • Tyler James Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder in the killing of Charlie Kirk, as reported by both the BBC and The Guardian.
  • Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Robinson, according to both outlets.
  • New surveillance footage shows Robinson driving a vehicle and walking through a parking garage, as reported by the BBC.
  • The footage also showed Robinson entering the Utah Valley University campus and climbing on to a roof, according to The Guardian.
  • BBC reporting described the footage as showing Robinson running across a rooftop after the shooting, and appearing to jump off the roof while holding an object.
  • The Guardian reported that DNA evidence links Robinson to the weapon believed to be used in the killing.
  • The Guardian also reported that Robinson allegedly confessed in a note he left his roommate and romantic partner.
  • BBC reporting noted that a rifle was later recovered in the wooded area where Robinson entered, and that at least one other weapon was found on campus on the day of the shooting.
During Tuesday's proceedings, prosecution witness David Hull, described by the BBC as Utah's State Bureau of Investigation's lead investigator and by The Guardian as a former Utah state bureau of investigation agent, walked the court through the security footage. Hull testified that the footage showed Robinson's vehicle entering a campus parking garage, and a man wearing a maroon shirt, Converse shoes and grey or olive shorts walking across campus. The same man later returned to campus, bought food from Chick-fil-A and headed into a wooded area, Hull said. When the man reappeared on campus about 90 minutes before the shooting, he was wearing different clothes and appeared to be walking with a limp.

The prosecution also submitted graphic footage of the shooting itself into evidence, which was not shown to the public, according to The Guardian.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea, and his lawyers have objected to much of the video evidence, as reported by the BBC. The proceedings marked the first time Kirk's family and his widow Erika Kirk were in the courtroom with the accused killer, and Donald Trump Jr, a close friend of Kirk's, was also in attendance on Monday.

On the first day of the hearing, Christopher Bagley, a former Utah Valley University police officer, described hearing a gunshot while Kirk was speaking and the panic that ensued. Bagley told the court that after searching for additional victims, he inspected the rooftop of a nearby building and saw impressions in the gravel that he believed suggested a sniper had been there.