Utah Sheriff Admits Essential Surveillance Video of Kirk Suspect By no means Preserved
A Utah TV investigation has uncovered that surveillance footage reportedly showing Charlie Kirk murder suspect Tyler Robinson turning himself in at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office no longer exists and was never shared with the lead investigators, raising fresh questions about evidence handling in the high-profile assassination case.
Sheriff: Robinson Brought In, But No Entry Video
At a September 17 briefing, Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby said, “Our job was not to interview; our job was just to get him here,” adding that “within the hour, my friend drove Tyler and his parents to my office, where he was greeted by plainclothes detectives.” After that statement, KUTV 2News Investigates filed public records requests for video showing Robinson entering the jail or holding area and for any holding-room footage.
The sheriff’s office responded that there were “no records responsive” for jail entry because “Tyler Robinson did not go to or enter the jail area,” and later said more general surveillance footage of him entering the sheriff’s office was “no longer available after the 30-day retention period.”
When asked whether the video had been shared with any other law enforcement or legal agency, the office replied that “it was never sent out to any agency,” meaning Utah County authorities prosecuting Robinson never received it.
An investigation found no surveillance video of Tyler Robinson turning himself in after being accused of taking out Charlie Kirk.
Requests were either denied, or investigators were told the records do not exist and may have even been destroyed.
No one knows whether the video… pic.twitter.com/eRYLR7ki7b
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) November 20, 2025
Defense Attorney Calls Missing Video ‘Very Concerning’
Criminal defense attorney Rudy Bautista, who has more than two decades of capital-case experience in Utah, told 2News that “for the state of Utah, we would certainly hope that this video is available.” He said, “If in fact it has been destroyed and not preserved, it’s very concerning,” and argued that if it no longer existed locally he would have expected officials to say it had at least “been provided to the Utah County law enforcement.”
Bautista said video of Robinson surrendering would be “crucial for the defense work of mitigation,” and criticized the response letter as “trying to shut the door and not give you free access to the press.” He also reiterated his view that, given a single round from a Mauser Model 98 bolt-action rifle and the limited risk to others, the aggravated murder death-penalty posture in the Kirk case is “really weak” and “clearly political.”
Commentator: ‘We Don’t Know Anything’ Without Footage
Liberty Lockdown host Clint Russell seized on the revelations about the missing surveillance video, arguing that without the footage, public claims about how Robinson came into custody are on shaky ground. “The surveillance footage of him turning himself in, uh, disappeared,” Russell said, adding, “We don’t have any actual proof that that’s even what happened. We don’t have any proof that his family actually turned him in or that it was, you know, against his will or that he didn’t walk in there alone or anything. We don’t know anything.”
Russell mocked those insisting Robinson’s surrender proves his guilt, noting that he has pleaded not guilty and saying critics “don’t” mention the missing video. “I am at least open about what I do and don’t know,” he said. “What I don’t know is who killed Charlie Kirk. Guess what? You don’t either.”
Clint Russell dismantles Jack Posobiec for peddling that lazy “his parents turned him in, so he’s the killer” bullshit about Tyler Robinson. pic.twitter.com/6XsYEp9Jrm
— Ethan Fowler (@EthanFowler32) December 13, 2025