A Kootenai County connection emerged in testimony this week during a preliminary hearing in Utah in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The case centers on Tyler Robinson, who authorities say shot Kirk in the neck while the political commentator addressed a crowd at Utah Valley University in September. Prosecutors allege Robinson made incriminating statements to his roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, before and after the attack—statements that were presented to a judge through a redacted police video during Thursday’s hearing at the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo, Utah.
Key Evidence Presented at Hearing
According to testimony from law enforcement, Twiggs told authorities that Robinson said “he wishes he hadn’t done it” the day after Kirk’s death. The statement came as prosecutors built their case against Robinson on charges of aggravated murder.
Robinson turned himself in to authorities the day after the shooting. Before doing so, he posted a message on Discord stating “it was me at UVU yesterday,” approximately one hour before surrendering to police.
Investigators presented evidence of messages prosecutors say Robinson sent to Twiggs before the attack. In one alleged communication, Robinson stated: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” According to court documents, Robinson also texted that he targeted Kirk because Kirk “had enough of his hatred.” The messages also reportedly included Robinson’s concerns about leaving fingerprints on a bolt-action rifle belonging to his grandfather—the weapon authorities believe was used in the shooting.
Twiggs was interviewed by authorities on September 12, two days after Kirk’s death, and again on April 20. He was granted immunity for his statements to police.
The Shooting and Investigation
Kirk, a nationally known political commentator, was speaking to several thousand attendees when Robinson allegedly fired from a rooftop position near the speaking location, striking Kirk once in the neck. Kirk was hospitalized and subsequently declared dead.
A suspected murder weapon—a bolt-action rifle with one spent round—was discovered wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the shooting site.
Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder but has not yet entered a plea. State District Judge Tony Graf allowed a redacted version of the police interview video with Twiggs to be presented in court, a decision that Kirk family representatives supported publicly.
Family and Community Presence
The hearing drew significant attention, with Kirk’s parents and widow Erika Kirk attending the proceedings. Robinson’s parents and two brothers also were present in the courtroom. U.S. Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, attended the hearing as well.
Kirk’s family waited approximately ten months for the preliminary hearing to take place. Jeffrey Neiman, an attorney for the Kirk family, emphasized the importance of transparency in the judicial process, stating: “To not be transparent, to not be open and let the world see what happened will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system.”
What Comes Next
The case will proceed through the Utah court system, where additional hearings and pretrial proceedings are expected. Robinson remains in custody pending trial on the aggravated murder charge.
The connection to Kootenai County through Twiggs underscores how high-profile cases can draw local residents into prominence. For context on other significant cases involving North Idaho residents and the criminal justice system, see related coverage on a Kootenai County man extradited from the Philippines in a rape case and a fatal shooting incident during an alleged assault in Spokane involving a teenage defendant.