ABC News Reporter Slammed for Calling Texts From Charlie Kirk's Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson 'Very Touching': 'Tone Deaf'

ABC News reporter Matt Gutman is under fire after viewers accused him of crossing the line during coverage of the Charlie Kirk assassination press conference in Utah on Tuesday, September 16.

While breaking down evidence against suspected gunman Tyler Robinson, Gutman described Robinson’s messages with his transgender partner in a way that many felt glorified the accused killer.

“We have seen an alleged murder with such specific text messages about the alleged murder weapon where it was hidden, how it was placed, what was on it, but also it was very touching in a way that I think many of us didn't expect a very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect's roommate and the suspect himself,” Gutman said.

Gutman went on to frame Robinson’s alleged motive in an unexpectedly sympathetic light, pointing out that Robinson said he wanted to “protect” his transitioning partner, whom he referred to as “my love” in the messages.

“So, it was this duality of someone who the attorney said not only jeopardized the life of Charlie Kirk and the crowd, but was doing it in front of children, which is one of the aggravating circumstances of this case,” Gutman added. “And then, on the other hand, he was, you know, speaking so lovingly about his partner. Very interesting, riveting press conference.”

Later that day, during a livestream, he doubled down, once again describing the online chat chain in an odd way.

“I don’t think I ever experienced a press conference in which we’ve read text messages that are A – so fulsome, so robust, so apparently allegedly self-incriminating and yet, on the other hand, so touching, right?” he said. “And the terminology he used, he was trying to protect him. He kept calling him ‘my love.’ ‘My reason for doing this is to protect you,’ you know, but also asking him to delete the messages and not speak to law enforcement. So, there’s this heartbreaking duality that we’re seeing very tragically playing out.”

The reporter’s commentary quickly went viral, with critics blasting him for appearing to humanize Robinson while downplaying the murder of the conservative activist.

“W-- was he thinking. Obviously, I guess he said exactly what he was thinking, and that is the problem. If ABC does not fix this insulting injustice, their advertisers will know,” one user fumed.

Another posted, “How TONE DEAF can you be???”

“Sounds like Matt has a serious crush on the couple. Doesn’t seem very professional journo to me,” someone else wrote.

“This journalist is a bit touched in the head,” another added.

The backlash comes just hours after prosecutors officially charged Robinson with Kirk’s murder. Authorities confirmed they will seek the death penalty against the 22-year-old suspect, who allegedly confessed in a series of texts to his roommate shortly after the shooting at Utah Valley University in Orem.

According to court filings, Robinson left a note under a keyboard that read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I'm going to take it.”

When his partner found the message and texted, “you weren't the one who did it, right????”

Robinson replied, “I am, I'm sorry.”

He also revealed where his rifle was hidden, telling his lover he stayed close to campus to retrieve it. Police later found the weapon in a wooded area near the scene.

“To be honest, I had hoped to keep this secret till I die of old age. I'm sorry to involve you,” Robinson allegedly wrote in another chilling message.