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Experts debunk Tyler Robinson’s ballistics claim: ‘Unable to identify is not the same as ruled out’
Facing what appears to be an extensive body of evidence, attorneys for accused Charlie Kirk killer Tyler Robinson signaled in a new filing they may call an ATF agent to the stand — if his inconclusive ballistic findings undercut the case.
“Regarding the firearm evidence, the defense has been provided with an ATF summary report which indicates that the ATF was unable to identify the bullet recovered at autopsy to the rifle allegedly tied to Mr. Robinson,” Robinson’s attorneys wrote in a motion to vacate or postpone their client’s preliminary hearing. “Although the State has not indicated an intent to produce this report at the preliminary hearing, the defense may very well decide to offer the testimony of the ATF firearm analyst as exculpatory evidence.”
The brief line appears to indicate that the defense doesn’t think prosecutors can prove the bullet that killed Kirk came from the Mauser rifle recovered near the crime scene, which prosecutors allege had Robinson’s DNA on it and had been given to him by his father.
But experts say inconclusive testing doesn’t mean the match has been ruled out, and investigators have compiled other evidence in the case — including allegations that Robinson confessed or implied guilt to family and friends.
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“It’s not uncommon for a round that went through a human body, especially if it traveled through tissue, to say conclusively that it’s tied to a specific firearm, because by nature the projectile is supposed to transfer all of its kinetic energy, and it often disintegrates into fragments and whatnot,” said Bernard Zapor, a former ATF special agent in charge and faculty associate at Arizona State University. “The fact that it went through several bone structures, there was going to be very little left.”
As a result, it would be unfair to conclude that the bullet hadn’t been fired out of the rifle police recovered nearby, experts told Fox News Digital.
“Unable to identify is not the same as ruled out,” said retired FBI supervisor agent Jason Pack. “That’s a finding of inconclusiveness, not exoneration.”
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According to the Utah County Prosecutor’s Office, Robinson arrived at Utah Valley University around 11:51 a.m. on Sept. 10, 2025, the day of Kirk’s murder. They allege he walked in through a tunnel under Campus Drive and climbed a staircase to the rooftop of the Losee Center, which overlooks the courtyard where Kirk was speaking.
At 12:20 p.m., a single bullet struck Kirk in the neck. Prosecutors have said campus police found marks left behind on the gravel rooftop moments after the shooting “consistent with a sniper having lain [there] — impressions in the gravel potentially left by the elbows, knees and feet of a person in a prone shooting position.”
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Police later found the alleged murder weapon wrapped in a towel and hidden in a small patch of woods just off campus. Crime lab testing allegedly found DNA consistent with Robinson’s on the gun, on the towel and on three of the four rounds inside.
“To me that’s not problematic, but obviously the defense is gonna make big hay out of that, because they want to have the firearm removed from the case,” Zapor said. “If the shell casing has his DNA on it, [prosecutors] are solid.”
There are a number of reasons why the fired bullet may not have been a conclusive match, experts told Fox News Digital, and additional lab testing is pending.
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“Nobody outside the ATF lab knows why they couldn’t make the match yet because the defense still hasn’t received the underlying case file and protocols,” Pack told Fox News Digital. “Was the bullet too damaged? Was it a methodology question? That answer isn’t in the record right now.”
Other evidence in the case includes a text message conversation prosecutors allege Robinson had with his roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, after the shooting.
Robinson allegedly discussed wanting to retrieve a rifle before returning home from Orem, which is about a four-hour drive from where he lived in Washington County. Twiggs is cooperating with investigators and has not been charged with a crime.
In another message, Robinson allegedly wrote he was “stuck in Orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
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“You weren’t the one who did it right????” the roommate texted back.
“I am, I’m sorry,” Robinson allegedly replied.
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Robinson faces a top charge of aggravated murder, which carries the potential death penalty upon conviction. He is also accused of felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child.
While Robinson’s defense is seeking to put off his preliminary hearing for another six months, Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has filed a notice with the court invoking her right to seek a speedy trial as a victim under Utah law.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at an event as part of a national speaking tour and sponsored by the campus chapter of the organization, which promotes conservative principles among students across the country.
He was a married father of two.
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WWE star Kit Wilson expresses support for Cody Rhodes after Pat McAfee promo, no animosity after ‘toxic’ move
Cody Rhodes was running hot earlier this month after Pat McAfee was inserted into his WrestleMania 42 feud with Randy Orton just days before their match was set to take place.
Kit Wilson was the punching bag after McAfee kicked Rhodes in the groin, ripped the pro wrestling business and said that Orton was going to save it. Wilson had just finished a match with The Miz against Damian Priest and R-Truth when Rhodes rushed the ring.
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Rhodes targeted Wilson with a Cross Rhodes and cut the scathing promo on McAfee.
Wilson told Fox News Digital that he didn’t know Rhodes was coming and that he would be targeted. However, he praised Rhodes’ message.
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“I was just trying to look out for my mentor, The Miz. I was just trying to do the right thing by him. Yeah, I had no idea it was coming,” Wilson said. “It was interesting because I think Cody was speaking from the heart there and what he had to say was quite informational and important in the current zeitgeist of the world.”
Wilson said that he did think Rhodes’ decision to take his anger out on him was “toxic” but he had no ill will toward “The American Nightmare.”
“So yeah, I think he was taking his anger out on me,” Wilson continued. “I don’t appreciate it. I do think it was toxic. But I see the side of him that had a lot of things to say. In my own way, I think I’ve forgiven him.”
Rhodes and Orton will battle for the Undisputed WWE Championship on Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. McAfee is sure to be at ringside in Orton’s corner, much to Rhodes and fans’ chagrin.
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Charlie Kirk podcast pans Utah Valley University citing ‘safety concerns’ in scrapping controversial speaker
The producers of “The Charlie Kirk Show” panned the stated reason Utah Valley University (UVU) canceled the commencement speaker invitation of author and educator Sharon McMahon, whose selection sparked outrage among supporters of the late conservative leader, who was murdered on its campus.
On Thursday, UVU issued a statement saying, “Due to increased safety concerns related to the speaker and in consultation with public safety professionals and Sharon McMahon, Utah Valley University has decided to proceed without a featured commencement speaker for this year’s ceremony.”
The statement didn’t sit well with podcast co-hosts Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff.
“Here’s what’s annoying,” Neff reacted. “They say it’s not because ‘Oh, we picked a terrible speaker and that was our bad.’ They say they have ‘increased safety concerns’ about what happened.”
“Basically it’s our fault we were engaged in menacing behavior, they say,” Neff continued. “But regardless, it’s a speaker they shouldn’t have chosen… Nobody was making any threats about this. Not on this show or anywhere else.”
“We were saying it was a bad idea,” Kolvet responded before saying, “Hallelujah.”
Representatives for UVU did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital‘s request for comment.
EXPERTS DEBUNK TYLER ROBINSON’S BALLISTICS CLAIM: ‘UNABLE TO IDENTIFY IS NOT THE SAME AS RULED OUT’
UVU came under fire for its selection of McMahon, who attacked Kirk just days after his assassination.
“Millions of people feel they were harmed, and the murder that was horrific and should never have happened does not magically erase what was said or done,” McMahon wrote on X at the time.
The now-deleted social media post sent two days after Kirk’s death also included a pair of quotes that many Kirk supporters said were taken out of context.
“It’s important to remember that the incredible tragedy of a public assassination does not erase the harm many experienced from his words, and the ensuing actions his followers took,” McMahon said.
The university’s selection of McMahon as its commencement speaker drew outrage among Kirk’s supporters. A spokesperson for McMahon declined comment.
Her team previously dismissed the notion that she celebrated Kirk’s death, telling Utah outlets that she “unequivocally condemned the murder of Charlie Kirk, repeatedly and publicly, calling his death a tragedy and stressing that public debate must never be met with violence.
The 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder was participating in a public speaking event sponsored by the campus chapter of Turning Point when he was shot and killed on Sept. 10. The suspect, now 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, was charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder. He faces the death penalty if convicted.
Fox News’ Max Bacall contributed to this report.
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Doctors warn of ‘looksmaxxing’ dangers after influencer’s livestream emergency
“Clavicular,” the controversial “looksmaxxing” influencer, was reportedly hospitalized due to a suspected overdose Tuesday night during a livestream.
The Miami content creator, 20, posted a photo of his bloody face and commented on X Wednesday.
“Just got home, that was brutal. All of the substances are just [to] cope, trying to feel neurotypical while being in public, but obviously, that isn’t a real solution. The worst part of tonight was my face descending from the life support mask.”
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The influencer, whose real name is Braden Peters, was hospitalized after his livestream was cut short when he began slurring his words and repeating phrases, according to reports.
Looksmaxxing is a social media trend focused on enhancing appearance, ranging from basic skin care to extreme practices like hitting cheekbones with hammers to alter facial structure.
The potentially dangerous trend has been popular with young males, plastic surgeons told Fox News Digital.
“In my practice, we’ve seen it primarily in young men in their 20s,” Dr. Josef Hadeed, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California, told Fox News Digital. “We have had a few women, but I’d say by and large, it’s been mostly men who have come into our office wanting these various looksmaxxing procedures.”
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“Patients are increasingly seeking to align how they look with how they feel,” he said. “The difference today is that the tools and technologies available to achieve that have never been more advanced or more accessible.”
Looksmaxxing can be divided into two categories: “softmaxxing” and “hardmaxxing,” according to Hadeed. Softmaxxing is a more simple, non-invasive approach to improving one’s looks.
“It’s really like self-care or grooming – things like going to the gym on a regular basis to try to improve your body composition, or using various skincare products to try to improve your skin texture,” the surgeon said.
Softmaxxing techniques – which can also include teeth whitening, beard grooming, or upgrading a wardrobe or hairstyle – are not usually a problem, according to Hadeed. Hardmaxxing, which involves more extreme measures, can have riskier consequences.
Some individuals in the looksmaxxing online community do things like “bone smashing,” Hadeed said.
“[It’s] literally what it sounds like, where you smash the bones to change the facial structure, and that is obviously not recommended because it can lead to potential complications,” he warned.
“Once you cross that line and start getting into more extreme things, I feel like that’s where most plastic surgeons should draw the line.”
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Dr. C. Bob Basu, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said the biggest safety risks with the looksmaxxing trend come from pursuing treatments without proper medical guidance.
“Social media can make procedures seem easy or risk-free, but even minimally invasive treatments carry real risks if performed incorrectly or by an untrained provider,” the Houston-based plastic surgeon told Fox News Digital.
To achieve quality results, it is critical to be treated by a board-certified plastic surgeon who understands both safety and anatomy, Basu advised.
The convergence of social media, constant digital visibility and “unprecedented access to aesthetic treatments” – along with a cultural shift toward optimizing wellness and longevity – are fueling the looksmaxxing trend, according to Basu.
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Hadeed agreed, noting that social media puts pressure on individuals to look perfect.
“People are constantly comparing themselves to other people online,” he told Fox News Digital. “It can quickly develop into body dysmorphia for a lot of people, and that’s when they start pursuing more and more procedures that they don’t need by any stretch – it’s kind of like keeping up with the Joneses.”
Dr. Nancy Frye, a professor in the psychology department at Long Island University in Brookville, New York, also weighed in on what’s driving the looksmaxxing craze.
“We figure out how attractive we might be by comparing what we see in ourselves to what we see in others,” she told Fox News Digital. “This social comparison is especially problematic with social media and filters, as people compare themselves to filtered versions of others.”
While experts warn of the risks of looksmaxxing, they say a thoughtful approach can have some benefits, including pride in one’s appearance and health.
The most tangible benefits are associated with the softmaxxing approach, which includes following a fitness routine, eating a clean diet and following regular skin care routines, according to Hadeed.
With healthy guidance, aesthetic care can “enhance confidence and self-esteem, helping patients feel more aligned with their sense of self,” Basu added.
Both plastic surgeons emphasized the importance of taking a responsible approach when considering the looksmaxxing trend.
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“The goal should always be thoughtful self-improvement, not perfection,” Basu said. “It should never be about looking like someone else or a filtered version of yourself, but rather about becoming a confident, natural and authentic version of you.”
Anyone considering this trend should consult a licensed healthcare professional rather than relying on advice from social media influencers, the doctors advised.
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