Tyler Robinson To Stand Trial and Face Death Penalty, Stabbing of New Mother in NYC: AM Update 9/2

Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Wednesday, September 2, 2026, and this is your AM update. Nearly one year after Charlie Kirk's assassination, Tyler Robinson now headed to trial, with the death penalty still on the table. A closely watched U.S. Senate primary in Massachusetts with longtime Senator Ed Markey defeating a young challenger in Congressman Seth Molten. Both stabbings occurred within approximately 20 seconds of each other. A young Bank of America executive killed in a random Times Square stabbing spree, as police released new details about the woman accused of carrying it out. And a petting zoo donkey shot dead by police during a search for a missing child, sparking outrage in rural Georgia and beyond. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM update. We are still a couple months out, but the midterms are fast approaching and make no mistake. If the house flips, it is a big deal for our economy. 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Robinson charged with aggravated murder, felony firearm use, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and committing a violent act in the presence of a child. Charlie's widow, Erica sitting in the courtroom beside Charlie's mother and father. Yesterday's proceeding was not a trial and it was not about deciding Robinson's guilt or innocence. Instead, Judge Tony Graf hearing the evidence and arguments before deciding whether prosecutors have cleared the probable cause threshold required for the charges to move forward. In closing arguments, deputy Utah County attorney Ryan McBride laying out four categories of evidence, he says established that Robinson is the shooter, video, DNA, alleged admissions, and circumstantial evidence. McBride pointing to surveillance video, he says places Robinson on Utah Valley University's campus four times on the day Kirk was killed, including immediately before and after the shooting. McBride arguing the rifle recovered near campus, the towel wrapped around it, ammo with etched messages and items recovered from Robinson's apartment all tie him to the shooting. McBride citing forensic testimony that DNA from the rifle, towel, and screwdriver recovered from the roof included Robinson as a possible match. The prosecutor further pointing to what he described as Robinson's admissions, including his confession note to his trans-lover lands twigs and what he called the classic circumstantial evidence of motive, means, and opportunity. Prosecutors then turning to the aggravating circumstance attached to the murder charge, whether Robinson put people other than Charlie Kirk at risk. That allegation crucial because aggravated murder is the charge making Robinson eligible for the death penalty if convicted. McBride arguing Robinson created that risk by firing a high-powered rifle toward Kirk from roughly 400 feet away with thousands of people gathered around him. To make the case, McBride pointing to the attempted assassination of President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. In addition to common sense, you know that if you shoot into a crowd, if you miss, you're going to hit someone else. That's not just a possibility. That's a great risk of death to someone else when we're talking about firing a high-powered rifle. We remember Butler, Pennsylvania, when President Trump was shot. His life was saved because he turned his head and the bullet went through his ear. And what happened in that miss and other misses? Well, three of those errant shots hit people, one of which fatally. Not only is there common sense, but there's recent precedent. You shoot at someone in a public assassination attempt. You have a great risk of killing someone else. In the defense's closing argument at the hearing, Robinson's team challenging the state's evidence, the aggravating circumstance tied to the murder charge and the alleged motive behind the killing. Defense attorney Stacy Visser, arguing prosecutors failed to show Robinson put anyone other than Charlie in danger, pointing to one bullet, one victim, and what she called no evidence anyone else in the crowd was threatened. Later in the closing, defense attorney Richard Novak then asking judge graph to dismiss the witness tampering charges, which are based at least in part on Robinson's text to twigs that red quote, don't talk to the media, please. Don't take any interviews or make any comments if any police ask you questions, ask for a lawyer and stay silent. The defense arguing those messages to twigs came as Tyler Robinson was preparing to surrender and were meant to protect twigs, not obstruct the investigation. On a separate enhancement for three of the counts, prosecutors alleging Robinson targeted Kirk because of his political expression. Defense attorney Novak arguing Robinson's message to twigs that quote, some hate can't be negotiated out does not establish what Robinson knew about Kirk or what allegedly motivated him. Then Novak deciding to inaccurately attack Charlie Kirk as hateful. True that Mr. Kirk spoke hatefully of certain groups of people. He spoke hatefully of people who don't have traditional, norm-conforming gender identities. He spoke hatefully of people who are not strictly heterosexual. And yes, it is true that the evidence from Mr. Twigs is that he identified in a non-gender conforming way to his friends and that he was in a romantic relationship with Mr. Robinson. But that doesn't mean that those personal choices by Mr. Twigs and by Mr. Robinson equate with the hate that at least Mr. Robinson says he had toward Mr. Kirk. Charlie spoke truthfully, not hatefully, about other people. In fact, there are countless videos of him speaking very kindly and lovingly to trans and gay people. I'm going to have an opinion that very few people will ever tell you, which is I want you to be very cautious putting drugs into your system in the pursuit of changing your body. I instead encourage you to work on what's going on in your brain first. I think what you need first and foremost is just a diagnosis. Just someone that is going to listen to what you've gone through, listen to what else is going on. My prayer for you, and again, very few will say this. I actually want to see you be comfortable in how you were born. Mr. Novak, do your homework. Judge Graf then taking nearly an hour and a half to consider the arguments. When he returned, the judge finding enough evidence for all seven charges to go to trial, including aggravated murder, meaning the death penalty remains on the table. Judge Graf then asking for Robinson's plea, his lawyers entering a not guilty plea on all counts. Judge Graf scheduling the next pretrial conference for October 23rd, where they intend to set a trial date. Erica Kirk responding in a statement on X, calling the ruling an important step in her family's pursuit of justice. The turning point CEO and Charlie's widow writing, quote, "Every step in this process carries the weight of all that Charlie's murder has taken from his family, especially his children who will grow up without their father." Massachusetts Democrats voting yesterday in a closely watched U.S. Senate primary, deciding to give longtime Senator Ed Markey another term over Congressman Seth Molton. Senator Markey aged 80, first winning a seat in the House in 1976, before joining the Senate in a special election in 2013, now seeking a third full term. Congressman Molton, a 47-year-old Marine veteran, first elected to Congress in 2014, building his Senate campaign around the case for new Democrat leadership. The race providing a unique showdown given the incumbent is more progressive, but a longtime DC politician while the challenger is younger, but supposedly more moderate. Senator Markey using his own liberal record as a differentiator throughout the race, portraying Molton as too moderate for Massachusetts voters pointing to remarks made by Molton in 2024 about boys and girls' sports, if only he had meant them. Congressman Molton previously telling the New York Times, quote, "Democrats spent way too much time trying not to offend anyone, rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face." Adding, quote, "I have two little girls. I don't want them getting runny." over on a playing field by a male or formally male athlete, but as a Democrat, I'm supposed to be afraid to say that. Despite the blather, Mr. Molten subsequently apologizing for those comments and failing to back the protection of women and girls in sports act. The primary winner expected to be the heavy favorite in November's general election in deep blue Massachusetts. At the end of the night, Massachusetts Democrats, easily setting Senator Markey up for another term, rejecting Congressman Seth Molten's call for new leadership. Senator Markey speaking after the win. Massachusetts values the promise of democracy born here 250 years ago. We have led the fight to come back Trump and mega extremism. And we are not backing down in Massachusetts, not now, not ever. So to Donald Trump and his enablers, if you're listening, Massachusetts has something to say tonight. We will not sit by while you try to destroy this democracy. We will not sit by as you terrorize and detain and deport our immigrant neighbors. We need ice out of our communities and we need to abolish ice now. Congressman Molten, conceding the race. I just called Senator Markey to congratulate him on his victory tonight. He has my full support as our democratic nominee. And we must stand united this November to protect our democracy in the feet of Donald Trump. We entered this race as the underdog. And while tonight's outcome isn't what we worked so hard to achieve, I could not be prouder of the campaign we built together. Coming up, one victim in a New York City stabbing spree identified as a young bank of America executive and a Georgia family grieving the loss of its beloved petting zoo donkey after he was shot by police during a search for a missing child. What? Why? I have got to talk to you about cozy earths, bamboo, stretch, knit pajamas. I love mine. They are silky smooth and buttery soft and you can feel it. The second you put them on, they are naturally temperature regulating and breathable so they keep you completely cool without ever waking up hot or clammy. They are crafted from viscose from bamboo with just the right amount of easy stretch. The fits relaxed so you look completely put together even while stepping your morning coffee or answering the front door or doing some small in-home errands. Plus, there is no real risk in trying them out because they offer an easy return and exchange window if the fit is not right and everything is backed by a warranty. A young bank of America executive killed in a New York City stabbing spree Monday in Times Square, now identified as 32-year-old Aaron Pia Centi of Chester, New Jersey. Pia Centi working in New York as a vice president at the bank. She was a University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law graduate, who had recently celebrated her second wedding anniversary according to The New York Post. Pia Centi also, a brand new mom, reportedly in her first week back at Bank of America after five months of maternity leave. The New York Times reporting Pia Centi shared a photo on social media just days before the attack holding her newborn daughter beside her husband. Police identifying the woman accused of killing Pia Centi as 49-year-old Queen's resident Pamela Cisneros. Authorities say Cisneros first attacked a 68-year-old man then moved toward Pia Centi seconds later. Police Commissioner Jessica Tish describing the rapid sequence. A witness at the scene told investigators that he observed the subject removed two knives from a red target bag before approaching the first victim. The subject waved the knives before stabbing a 68-year-old man in the right side of his abdomen. In what appears to be a random and unprovoked attack. The subject then proceeded up seventh avenue toward 42nd Street and approached a second victim, a 32-year-old woman stabbing her in the abdomen. We believe that this two was a random and unprovoked attack. Pia Centi, who was reportedly on her way home, later pronounced dead at the hospital. Witnesses then flagging down officers on seventh avenue between West 42nd and West 43rd Streets, where police say Cisneros was still carrying both knives. Commissioner Tish saying officers tried for several minutes to get her to surrender before she advanced toward them. The officers engaged the woman in dialogue for four minutes and gave her numerous commands to drop the knives which she refused. During the encounter, she told the officers, "I'm not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you." She repeated, "I will kill you." The subject began waving the knives in advance towards the officer's multiple officers, discharge tasers, which proved to be ineffective and the subject continued to advance towards our officers with the knives. Two officers then discharged their service weapons, striking the subject. Cisneros later pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. Her brother, Patrick Peralta, telling the Daily Mail, Cisneros had reportedly been diagnosed with bipolar disorder after struggling with postpartum depression years earlier. Peralta saying Cisneros had been estranged from her daughters and was going through a difficult divorce, but appeared to have been doing better while taking medication. He says she had recently stopped showing up for her usual dinners at their mother's house and had not come home for about a week. Peralta also recounting a past suicide attempt, offering his theory about the confrontation with police, quote, "I think she wanted to get shot. If only she had only set herself up to die." A Georgia family mourning the loss of a baby donkey named Heha after a Cedar Town police officer shot and killed him during an overnight search for a missing child. According to Cedar Town Police, the officer was assisting Polk County Police in the search early Sunday morning. The child was later located safely at a church near the pasture where Heha was killed. Heha's owner, Hannah Israel, telling Atlanta News First, "The animal was just over a year old and that she had raised him by bottle from birth." The family alleging officers entered the pasture without permission just after midnight on Sunday. They say officers later told them Heha approached while braying that a taser was tried first. Why? And then an officer shot him. The officer now on paid administrative leave, the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Law Enforcement Division handling the investigation. Cedar Town Police Chief Jamie Newsom telling 11 Alive News he has reviewed the officer's body cam footage. "They're members of the human family and I am too and heartbroken. I will confirm body cam video exists. I have viewed it, but I won't come in as to what it portrays to respect the investigation that state agency." The M.K. True Crime Show co-host Phil Holloway posting to X quote, "I was a rural deputy sheriff in Southern Georgia and encountered all manner of livestock on a regular basis. Under no circumstances, can I conceive of my life being in danger from a petting zoo donkey." Hannah Israel, telling Atlanta News First, "The loss has left her family devastated." Farmer's definitely not the same without him, at all. We're very traumatized and shocked. There's no words. He should not be dead. The whole circumstances literally say that he-haw shouldn't have died. And don't he's lived to be about 35 to 40 years old? Like, I thought I would raise my future kids with he-haw, but instead he's gone, so it's very devastating. Israel establishing a GoFundMe that had raised more than $117,000 as of Tuesday night. Israel writing, "She has hired a lawyer, but will not use any of the GoFundMe money to pay for legal representation. She says donations will instead go toward the farm, care for its animals, and to foundation in he-haw's name, not for her family's personal use." Poor he-haw. Well, that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for the MK Show. Live on SiriusXM's The Megan Kelly Channel 111 at New East on youtube.com/megankelly and on all podcast platforms. [BLANK_AUDIO]