US, Kirk murder: ‘Bullet does not match the alleged killer’s rifle’

Washington (USA), 31 March (LaPresse) – Lawyers for the man accused of murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk have requested a postponement of a preliminary hearing scheduled for May, stating that they need time to examine a vast amount of material and a ballistics report that could assist their client’s defence. Tyler Robinson’s defence team stated, in recent court filings, that an analysis conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives failed to conclusively link a bullet fragment, recovered during the post-mortem, to the rifle found near the crime scene. According to court documents, the FBI is conducting further investigations. The agency’s report has been kept confidential; however, the lawyers have cited excerpts from it in other public documents, which suggest that the results were inconclusive. The success of forensic ballistics analysis depends largely on the size and condition of the bullet fragments. Experts look for unique microscopic marks that are imprinted on the bullet as it passes through the barrel of the firearm. These striations are comparable to fingerprints, in that no two firearms are capable of leaving identical marks.