Washington, 17 September 2025 (dpa/MIA) - The suspect in the fatal shooting of right-wing US activist Charlie Kirk was charged with aggravated murder on Tuesday.

Tyler Robinson appeared in a Utah court by video link in a hearing aired live by numerous US broadcasters, as is often done in the United States.

Judge Tony Graf read out seven charges, including obstruction of justice and witness tampering. He also read the 22-year-old suspect his rights and declared that he would remain in custody without the possibility of bail.

Robinson remained silent, aside from stating his name during the brief hearing.

Kirk - a right-wing podcaster and prominent supporter of US President Donald Trump - was shot last Wednesday on the campus of a university in the state of Utah and later died in hospital.

Public prosecutor Jeff Gray said that he was seeking the death penalty for Robinson.

Gray said that the targeting of Kirk for his political statements, and the fact that the shooting was carried out in the knowledge that children were present and may have had to witness it, should be considered aggravating factors.

The prosecutor also referred to evidence that he said incriminated Robinson, including DNA traces on the alleged murder weapon and analyses from surveillance videos.

The judge granted a request from Kirk's widow, Erika, and issued a court protection order in her favour. Robinson is therefore not allowed to contact her.

The state of Utah provides for the possibility of the death penalty for capital offences. US President Donald Trump had already spoken out in favour of the death penalty in this case.

The Republican governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, had also said that preparations were being made to apply for the death penalty.

The next hearing is scheduled for September 29. The trial against Robinson in Utah could also be followed by federal charges.

Kirk, 31, was considered an important voice of the American right. Through events, podcasts and appearances on social media, he reached an audience of millions, especially young men. In 2012, he co-founded the youth organization Turning Point USA, which is active in numerous high schools and colleges.

Little is known about the exact motives of the 22-year-old suspect. However, immediately after the attack, US President Donald Trump blamed the "radical left." Critics accused him of further exacerbating the already heated atmosphere in the country instead of striking a conciliatory tone.

Kirk's death is one of a series of recent politically motivated acts of violence in the US.

Photo: BBC screenshot