Hearing Held in Assassination Case of US Conservative Charlie Kirk; Footage of Suspect Ambushing on Rooftop Released

(Central News Agency, Provo, Utah, July 7 - Reuters) In the assassination of American conservative figure Charlie Kirk last year, Utah prosecutors on Tuesday played a video at a hearing showing the suspect lurking in a sniper position on the roof of a university building and firing at Kirk from there.

Reuters reported that the case, which shocked the United States, entered its second day of preliminary trial hearings in Utah on Tuesday, with prosecutors attempting to persuade a district court judge to formally indict and send the suspect, 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, to trial.

Investigators said Robinson shot Kirk, who was debating students on campus at Utah Valley University.

Robinson currently faces seven criminal charges, including aggravated murder, and prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.

Utah investigator David Hull testified that surveillance footage captured the moment of the gunshot, stating, "The man can be seen getting up and moving towards the north side of the building." Hull identified the man in the footage as Robinson.

Prosecutors presented evidence related to Kirk's assassination case for the first time at the hearing, which is expected to last a week. The case, which occurred on September 10 last year, is one of a series of political violence incidents in the United States in recent years and has attracted widespread attention.

Kirk's widow, Erica Kirk, attended the hearing for the second consecutive day. Robinson has not yet entered a plea, and his defense attorney has not commented on his guilt or innocence.

Hull, citing surveillance footage, pointed out that on the day of the incident, Robinson, wearing a red T-shirt and shorts and mingling with students, had contact with staff from the conservative organization Turning Point USA, but he did not elaborate on the nature of their interaction.

Kirk is a co-founder of Turning Point USA and a staunch ally of Trump.

Hull stated that other surveillance footage from September 10 also showed Robinson surveying the entrance to the building's rooftop that day and eating at a fast-food restaurant on campus.

Another prosecution witness stated that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) test results showed that DNA from Robinson and his roommate, Lance Twiggs, was found on a screwdriver discovered at the sniper position and on a towel wrapped around what was believed to be the murder weapon, a rifle.

Prosecutors believe Robinson committed the crime due to his dissatisfaction with Kirk's conservative stance on issues of sexual orientation and gender based on religious beliefs.

According to evidence previously submitted to the court, Robinson had sent messages to his roommate saying he killed Kirk because "I'm fed up with his hate." Prosecutors also quoted Robinson's mother as saying that his political stance had gradually shifted to the left in recent years, and he had become "more supportive of gay and transgender rights." (Compiled by Liu Wenyu) 1150708

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