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FIRST ON FOX: The Utah County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect accused of assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk remains within a “special housing unit” of a jail, even though his mental evaluation has been completed.
Kirk was taken to a local hospital in critical condition following the shooting on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, where he later died, officials said. Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, two counts of obstruction of justice and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
Utah County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ray Ormond told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Robinson saw mental and medical staff at the jail, but will remain within the special housing unit.
“Robinson has been seen by our medical and mental health staff. Due to patient privacy regulations, I’m not able to [go] further into that,” Ormond said. “Robinson will stay in our special housing unit for the time being.”
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK
When asked if Robinson will remain in the special housing unit indefinitely, Ormond said, “That’s not set in stone and his housing location may change down the road.”
Previously, the law enforcement agency said Robinson would remain on a special watch status in the Utah County Sheriff’s Department special housing unit so staff could “keep an eye on him” until he cleared a mental health screening.
“Special watch” status is done for several reasons, including violent behavior, type of crime, suicidal comments and behavioral issues, the department said.
CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION SUSPECT UNDER ‘SPECIAL WATCH’ IN CUSTODY, BEING KEPT IN SEPARATE HOUSING UNIT
Previously, the department said it wasn’t aware of Robinson making any suicidal comments.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital the mental health evaluation likely “suggests that he should not be housed with the general population,” as Robinson remains within a “special housing unit.”
“A full mental health evaluation will be conducted by his defense team to try to negotiate a plea deal to save his life, to put on an insanity or diminished capacity defense during the guilt phase, which is challenging under Utah law, or to put on evidence of mitigation during the death penalty phase,” Rahmani said.
Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
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