Pastor Heath Lambert says people are still grieving and deserve to see justice.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The suspect in the assassination of Charlie Kirk has been charged with aggravated murder. Twenty-two-year-old Tyler Robinson was charged with six additional counts including tampering with a witness and obstruction of justice. Now that the legal proceedings are beginning, many of Kirk’s supporters are still processing their grief.
Pastor Heath Lambert of First Baptist Jacksonville says that several of his parishioners were upset when the news first broke.
“When you walked into this place, it the air was gone,” said Lambert. “But that was not the extent of the grief. I mean it was a multi-generational people just people couldn’t talk people were crying.”
As vigils continue to take place all over the country, people all over all also grappling with their feelings about what happened.
“One of the realities that is causing this to be such a difficult and tumultuous time is it’s tapping into basic realities of what it means to be a human being,” said Lambert. “And one of those basic realities is we all want and we all need justice when a man gets publicly executed for speaking”
Law enforcement has released a 10-page indictment, providing a closer look at the evidence they have on Robinson, including what they say is DNA evidence found on bullet casings and text messages between him and his roommate.
“The evidence is powerful,” said legal expert and attorney Curtis Fallgatter. “You’ve got DNA on the trigger on the bullets. Uh, his parents identified him. He’s got a unique shirt on. They’ve got their surveillance with him running. His roommate has text messages where he’s confessed.”
Fallgatter says, between the evidence and the charges, the case could come down to the death penalty.
“If they want death, it’s the kind of case where they typically get it unless there’s sufficient mental health defenses,” said Fallgatter. “So it’s a very aggravated case. He thought about it, planned for it, and, uh, and of course other folks could have been injured.”
However many of Kirk’s supporters say they just want to see justice served.
“We cannot exist as a civilization if you get to be killed because somebody doesn’t like what you say,” says Lambert. “And that is unjust and I do believe that people need to see justice.”
First Baptist Church Jacksonville is partnering with Turning Point USA to stream Charlie Kirk’s services on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. It is open to the public. Afterwards, Pastor Lambert will host a Q&A for anyone who needs to talk.