Provo • Early Monday morning, an officer patrolled the parking lot of the Utah County Courthouse with an eager canine companion. Later, he and the brown spotted pointer walked the halls inside.
Other officers stood watch, including those who surveyed the area with binoculars from their perch on a balcony near the top of the building. The doors at one entrance were zip-tied shut, in an apparent effort to keep only one entrance and exit open to the public.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) An officer patrols with a dog near the Utah County courthouse on Monday ahead of a court hearing for appearance for Tyler Robinson, who is accused of shooting conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
The increased security — an unusual sight for a county courthouse in Utah — was organized by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office ahead of a court hearing for Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of fatally shooting political activist Charlie Kirk earlier this month.
Kirk was shot as he spoke at Utah Valley University, which has faced criticism over the level of security it provided. It has decided to hire an independent company to review its planning and suggest future improvements.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Law enforcement at the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025.
Robinson wasn’t even at the Provo courthouse Monday, instead attending his hearing through a video feed from the Utah County jail in nearby Spanish Fork, at his attorneys’ request.
[Read more: Judge in Charlie Kirk murder case says he will ensure ‘justice is never compromised’ in prosecution of Tyler Robinson]
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The zip tied east doors of the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025.
Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf also put extra restrictions in his courtroom, prohibiting spectators from bringing in any kind of bags and disallowing any kind of face coverings that could obscure someone’s identity.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) A sign at the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025.
Before the courtroom was opened, the dog sniffed the fourth floor where journalists had lined up.
Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Raymond Ormond told The Salt Lake Tribune that this level of security can be expected at Robinson’s hearings “for the time being,” including at his trial, if one occurs.
He said that department leaders were able to shuffle staffing to manage costs — which he said they will continue to do — and added that other police agencies also helped with security, which also helped with the expense.
Robinson is expected to be at the Provo courthouse for his next court hearing on Oct. 30.