Explosive Developments from Day 2 of the Tyler Robinson Preliminary Hearing

(As of July 7, 2026 – Provo, Utah)

Day 2 of the five-day preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson featured significant testimony from investigators and new surveillance footage. Prosecutors aim to show probable cause for trial on aggravated murder and related charges (with the death penalty on the table), while the defense challenged evidence handling, identifications, and forensic links.

Here is a summary of the major points that emerged:

Extensive but Imperfect Video Evidence

Prosecutors presented multiple pieces of campus surveillance footage during the preliminary hearing (primarily on Day 1 and continued into Day 2) to show a person they identify as Tyler Robinson’s movements on and around Utah Valley University (UVU) on September 10–11, 2025, the day of the shooting.

Lead investigator (Utah Department of Public Safety Agent David Hull) testified about reviewing ~16 hours of UVU security camera footage. He described and identified the individual as Robinson (based on build, clothing, vehicle, gait, and other details). The footage was compiled and shown in court, though some edited versions faced defense objections over hearsay/authenticity (the judge required unedited versions).

Key Elements of the Footage

Gray Dodge Challenger (linked to Robinson): Surveillance captured the vehicle entering and parking in a UVU campus parking garage. Robinson is seen arriving in it, and it ties to his known vehicle (confirmed by family statements in reports). He is shown returning to/attempting access with the car at various points.

Person in maroon shirt, Converse shoes, and gray/olive shorts: Early in the day (e.g., around 8:30–9:25 a.m. on Sept. 10), a man matching Robinson’s description is seen walking across campus in this outfit after leaving the parking garage. He visits areas like the amphitheater where Kirk was scheduled to speak. He carries different backpacks at times and is captured at multiple locations and times.

Clothing/Gait Changes and Later Appearances: The same individual returns later (around 10–11 a.m.) with a backpack, then reappears in different clothes (e.g., long-sleeved black shirt and long pants). Hull noted he appeared to walk with a limp or altered gait (right leg not bending fully). This is around the time leading up to the shooting. The backpack was different.

Rooftop and Post-Shooting Activity: Footage (including from the Losee building) allegedly shows the man on the rooftop around 12:15–12:22 p.m., crawling to the edge. Kirk was shot at ~12:23 p.m. The person is then seen running across the roof, dropping/jumping off while holding a long object (possibly covered), and fleeing toward a wooded area. Additional video shows him returning to the neighborhood or vehicle afterward.

Blurry/Partial Views and Interpretation: Some angles were distant, low-resolution, or partial (e.g., stairwells, partial campus views). Hull provided interpretive testimony linking them via timing, clothing consistency, vehicle, physical description, and sequence of movements. Defense challenged reliability due to quality and editing.

Other related video included:

A phone-recorded video from an audience member at the event.

Notably, no clear footage shows Robinson (or anyone) on the roof firing the shot. New video reportedly shows a figure on a rooftop near the scene, jumping off while holding an object shortly after the shooting, but identification remains contested.

There was another bullet found on another roof but it was most likely from another officer chambering a round.

Missing Gun in Surveillance Footage

Defense attorneys grilled an FBI agent on the lack of direct visual evidence of a rifle. While prosecutors played footage of a man believed to be Robinson on a rooftop and crossing Campus Drive, the agent acknowledged that no gun is clearly visible in his hands or clearly outlined. The agent testified that investigators inferred he was carrying a long object consistent with a firearm based on movements and timeline, with the rifle later recovered in the wooded area he was seen entering. This gap in direct visual proof formed a key line of cross-examination.

Questions Over the Rifle and Forensics

Investigators recovered the alleged murder weapon (a .30-06 rifle) wrapped in a towel from a nearby wooded area. No direct footage or testimony placed Robinson handling or positioning the gun on the roof.

DNA Evidence and Mixtures