What is the firing squad like to which Charlie Kirk's murderer could be sentenced?

The state of Utah has filed formal charges against Tyler Robinson, the disturbed 22-year-old who murdered Charlie Kirk, during an event at Utah Valley University (UVU) on September 10, 2025. The shooting occurred at a public event with more than 3,000 attendees, including women and children. Kirk, who was 31 years old, died after being shot in the neck. Authorities have charged Robinson with a total of seven counts, including aggravated murder, discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and commission of a violent crime in the presence of minors. During his first court hearing, Robinson appeared virtually, did not enter a plea, and appeared stoic and without visible emotion.

Utah County District Attorney Jeff Gray announced that the death penalty will be sought against Robinson. Although he clarified that this is a decision made with seriousness and based on the evidence, the judicial process is just beginning. It is still unclear whether the case will meet the necessary requirements to impose the death penalty in Utah, where executions are rare and those sentenced can spend decades on death row. Utah is one of five states in the United States that still allow execution by firing squad, along with South Carolina, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama. Utah has used this method twice since the federal moratorium was lifted in 1977. The most recent case was in 2010, when Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed by this method. Gardner was placed in a chair, with a black hood over his head and a paper target over his heart. Five law enforcement volunteers fired from nearly 26 feet (8 meters) away, four with live ammunition and one with a blank, so that none would know who fired the fatal shot.

In 2004, Utah eliminated the voluntary firing squad option due to the intense media interest it caused. However, in 2015, then-Governor Gary Herbert signed a law that reinstated the firing squad as an alternative method in case a lethal injection was not available, due to the shortage and high cost of the necessary drugs. In addition, unlike lethal injection, the organs of those executed by firing squad can be donated. In August 2025, the case of Ralph Leroy Menzies, who was convicted of a 1986 murder, brought the issue back into debate. Menzies, who was 67 years old and had dementia, was pardoned from his execution by firing squad by the Utah Supreme Court after nearly four decades in prison. The ruling was based on his deteriorated physical and mental condition. Although Robinson faces serious charges, this is not a typical death penalty case, according to legal experts. There were no multiple victims, nor torture or the murder of a minor, circumstances commonly associated with capital sentences. However, the prosecution can reasonably argue that Kirk, as a public figure, was murdered with premeditation in front of thousands of witnesses, which could constitute an aggravating factor.

Criminal defense attorney Clayton Simms explained that the murder of a public figure at a mass event and with ideological motivations could be considered especially cruel and have a national impact, factors that could influence a death sentence. Robinson remains in custody without bail and his next hearing is scheduled for September 29, 2025. The final decision on a possible execution, and the method to be used, could take years, depending on the development of the trial, appeals, and possible constitutional challenges.