Experts debunk Tyler Robinson's ballistics claim: 'Unable to identify is not the same as ruled out'

Facing what appears to beryllium an extended assemblage of evidence, attorneys for accused Charlie Kirk slayer Tyler Robinson signaled successful a caller filing they whitethorn telephone an ATF cause to the basal — if his inconclusive ballistic findings undercut the case.

"Regarding the firearm evidence, the defence has been provided with an ATF summary study which indicates that the ATF was incapable to place the slug recovered astatine autopsy to the firearm allegedly tied to Mr. Robinson," Robinson's attorneys wrote successful a question to vacate oregon postpone their client's preliminary hearing. "Although the State has not indicated an intent to nutrient this study astatine the preliminary hearing, the defence whitethorn precise good determine to connection the grounds of the ATF firearm expert arsenic exculpatory evidence."

The little enactment appears to bespeak that the defence doesn't deliberation prosecutors tin beryllium the slug that killed Kirk came from the Mauser firearm recovered adjacent the transgression scene, which prosecutors allege had Robinson's DNA connected it and had been fixed to him by his father.

But experts accidental inconclusive investigating doesn't mean the lucifer has been ruled out, and investigators person compiled different grounds successful the lawsuit — including allegations that Robinson confessed oregon implied guilt to household and friends.

MAN CHARGED IN CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATION SEEKS TO SEAL EVIDENCE FROM PUBLIC

Tyler Robinson, accused successful the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, appears during a proceeding successful 4th District Court successful Provo connected Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via Pool)

"It's not uncommon for a circular that went done a quality body, particularly if it traveled done tissue, to accidental conclusively that it's tied to a circumstantial firearm, due to the fact that by quality the projectile is expected to transportation each of its kinetic energy, and it often disintegrates into fragments and whatnot," said Bernard Zapor, a erstwhile ATF peculiar cause successful complaint and module subordinate astatine Arizona State University. "The information that it went done respective bony structures, determination was going to beryllium precise small left."

As a result, it would beryllium unfair to reason that the slug hadn't been fired retired of the firearm constabulary recovered nearby, experts told Fox News Digital.

If the ATF had definitively ruled retired Robinson’s rifle, that filing would accidental truthful successful plain English, due to the fact that that would beryllium a bombshell. It doesn’t accidental that.

"Unable to place is not the aforesaid arsenic ruled out," said retired FBI supervisor cause Jason Pack. "That’s a uncovering of inconclusiveness, not exoneration."

HOW AND WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRACKED TYLER ROBINSON'S ALLEGED PATH ACROSS UVU CAMPUS

Charlie Kirk was a blimpish activistic who led Turning Point USA. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)

According to the Utah County Prosecutor's Office, Robinson arrived astatine Utah Valley University astir 11:51 a.m. connected Sept. 10, 2025, the time of Kirk's murder. They allege helium walked successful done a passageway nether Campus Drive and climbed a staircase to the rooftop of the Losee Center, which overlooks the courtyard wherever Kirk was speaking.

At 12:20 p.m., a azygous slug struck Kirk successful the neck. Prosecutors person said field constabulary recovered marks near down connected the gravel rooftop moments aft the shooting "consistent with a sniper having lain [there] — impressions successful the gravel perchance near by the elbows, knees and feet of a idiosyncratic successful a prone shooting position."

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Charlie Kirk speaks astatine Utah Valley University connected Sept. 10, 2025, successful Orem, Utah. Kirk, laminitis of Turning Point USA, was speaking astatine his "American Comeback Tour" erstwhile helium was changeable successful the cervix and killed.  (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

Police aboriginal recovered the alleged execution limb wrapped successful a towel and hidden successful a tiny spot of woods conscionable disconnected campus. Crime laboratory investigating allegedly recovered DNA accordant with Robinson's connected the gun, connected the towel and connected 3 of the 4 rounds inside.

"To maine that’s not problematic, but evidently the defence is gonna marque large hay retired of that, due to the fact that they privation to person the firearm removed from the case," Zapor said. "If the ammunition casing has his DNA connected it, [prosecutors] are solid."

There are a fig of reasons wherefore the fired slug whitethorn not person been a conclusive match, experts told Fox News Digital, and further laboratory investigating is pending.

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Charlie Kirk (L) and his woman Erika Lane Frantzve (C) during the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball astatine the Salamander Hotel connected Jan. 19, 2025, successful Washington, D.C.  (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

"Nobody extracurricular the ATF laboratory knows wherefore they couldn’t marque the lucifer yet due to the fact that the defence inactive hasn’t received the underlying lawsuit record and protocols," Pack told Fox News Digital. "Was the slug excessively damaged? Was it a methodology question? That reply isn’t successful the grounds close now."

Other grounds successful the lawsuit includes a substance connection speech prosecutors allege Robinson had with his roommate and romanticist partner, Lance Twiggs, aft the shooting.

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Robinson allegedly discussed wanting to retrieve a firearm earlier returning location from Orem, which is astir a four-hour thrust from wherever helium lived successful Washington County. Twiggs is cooperating with investigators and has not been charged with a crime.

In different message, Robinson allegedly wrote helium was "stuck successful Orem for a small portion longer yet. Shouldn't beryllium agelong until I tin travel home, but I gotta drawback my firearm still. To beryllium honorable I had hoped to support this concealed till I died of aged age. I americium atrocious to impact you."

New information measures person been added to the country wherever the alleged assassin changeable and killed Turning Point USA laminitis Charlie Kirk. (Stepheny Price/Fox News Digital)

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"You weren't the 1 who did it right????" the roommate texted back.

"I am, I'm sorry," Robinson allegedly replied.

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Robinson faces a apical complaint of aggravated murder, which carries the imaginable decease punishment upon conviction. He is besides accused of felony discharge of a firearm causing superior bodily injury, obstruction of justice, witnesser tampering and committing a convulsive discourtesy successful the beingness of a child.

While Robinson's defence is seeking to enactment disconnected his preliminary proceeding for different six months, Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, has filed a announcement with the tribunal invoking her close to question a speedy proceedings arsenic a unfortunate nether Utah law.

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Kirk, the laminitis of Turning Point USA, was speaking astatine an lawsuit arsenic portion of a nationalist speaking circuit and sponsored by the field section of the organization, which promotes blimpish principles among students crossed the country.

He was a joined begetter of two.