Fact Check: Does newly released surveillance footage show Tyler Robinson shooting Charlie Kirk?

PROVO, UTAH: Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has attracted widespread attention as prosecutors continue to present evidence in court. During the proceedings, investigators introduced previously unseen surveillance footage from Utah Valley University, prompting a viral claim that the video shows Robinson firing the fatal shot. But does the footage actually capture the shooting? Here's what the evidence reveals.

Claim: New surveillance video showed Tyler Robinson shooting Charlie Kirk

Although the exact origin of the rumor is unclear, it spread widely after X user Nick Sortor claimed that surveillance footage shown during Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing captured him firing the shot that killed Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in September 2025.

Because the court did not allow the media to livestream the footage, only people inside the courtroom were able to view it.

Sortor wrote, "High-quality surveillance video has just been shown in court showing Tyler Robinson TAKING THE SHOT at Charlie Kirk. Robinson is SCREWED. He's now on his way back to his cage, via a HEAVILY armed escort."

He also claimed, "The press was not allowed to stream the video. Only those in the courtroom, including members of the public and family members, were allowed to see the video.

The claim quickly spread across X, with other users making similar assertions. One user wrote, "The zoomed in video shows him taking the shot. It's over. The judge must reconsider his ruling and give the Kirk family the speedy trial THEY deserve!

Fact Check: False

The claim is false. A review of court reports and publicly available information found no credible evidence that the surveillance footage shown during Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing captured him firing the shot that killed Charlie Kirk.

The rumor spread on social media without supporting evidence, and several posts later received Community Notes stating, "Court attendees and reports state the surveillance video shown depicts movements and prone positioning on the roof, but does not clearly show the shot being taken. Earlier testimony indicated no footage of the shooting itself."

Instead, prosecutors used the surveillance footage to reconstruct Robinson's movements during the 48 hours surrounding Kirk's killing. They supported their case with CCTV footage, witness testimony, a recorded interview with Robinson's roommate, and messages exchanged between the two.

On Friday, July 10, the court showed video of Robinson running across a rooftop on the day of the shooting. According to reports, Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, embraced her tearful mother-in-law before both looked away from the screen as the footage played. Throughout the hearing, prosecutors argued that Robinson, a college dropout and avid gamer, used his grandfather's rifle to assassinate Kirk before attempting to cover his tracks.