By Gloria Nosa
Newly released surveillance video has shed disturbing light on the hours leading up to the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, showing the suspected gunman, Tyler Robinson, prowling near Utah Valley University just before the fatal attack.
The footage, captured by a home security camera in Orem, Utah, shows Robinson, 22, driving a Dodge Challenger down a residential street at 8:23 a.m. on September 10—barely three hours before Kirk was shot dead during a university event.
Just over an hour later, at 9:57 a.m., the same camera recorded Robinson again—this time on foot, wearing a red T-shirt and gray shorts. This contrasts sharply with the all-black clothing he was seen wearing in later surveillance videos taken after the shooting, suggesting he may have deliberately changed his outfit to disguise his movements.
A Community on Edge
The chilling footage was released by homeowner Jessa Packard, whose quiet neighborhood became an unexpected focal point of the police investigation. Packard, a single mother of two, told reporters that law enforcement swarmed her street shortly after the shooting, gathering security videos and searching the area.
“There’s this really weird heaviness, and honestly, a lot of fear for me personally that hasn’t gone away,” Packard admitted. “The fact that there was this murderer in my neighborhood—knowing he was here, planning something so horrific—it’s an eerie feeling that lingers.”
Neighbors say they are still shaken by the knowledge that Robinson may have been scouting the area before carrying out what authorities are calling a “premeditated assassination.”
From Surveillance to Capture
Following the killing, Robinson vanished, prompting a massive 33-hour manhunt that spanned multiple counties. He was eventually captured on September 11 and is currently being held without bail.
Prosecutors have indicated that Robinson will face charges including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Officials have not yet disclosed a clear motive, though investigators believe his actions were carefully planned.
The new video has only deepened the sense of unease surrounding the case, highlighting how the suspect’s movements in broad daylight went unnoticed until after tragedy struck.
As Utah Valley University and the wider community continue to mourn Kirk’s death, questions remain about what drove Robinson to carry out the attack—and whether signs of his intentions could have been detected earlier.
