WASHINGTON, DC: The Justice Department is reportedly weighing a novel legal strategy to bring federal hate crime charges against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative icon Charlie Kirk.

According to an NBC News report published on Saturday, December 13, federal authorities are considering whether the murder constitutes an anti-Christian hate crime.

The investigation, now three months into the aftermath of the killing of the Turning Point USA founder, faces internal debate. While Robinson faces state-level aggravated murder charges and a potential death penalty in Utah, the DOJ is exploring avenues to step in.

Three sources familiar with the matter revealed that the department is examining whether Robinson’s actions were religiously motivated.

Robinson’s partner is reportedly transgender, and text messages recovered by authorities allegedly showed the suspect claiming that he had "enough of his hatred."

Prosecuting the case as an anti-Christian hate crime would require equating anti-trans views with Christian beliefs in this specific context. This unprecedented approach has reportedly sparked pushback from career prosecutors.

“They are trying to shove a square peg into a round hole,” one source familiar with the federal probe told NBC, arguing that the crime did not neatly fit existing statutes.

Despite the hesitation from some staff, a fourth source maintained that prosecutors are 'considering all of their options' to ensure accountability.

The DOJ remains 'confident' in the state’s death penalty case but noted that involving the Civil Rights Division opens more avenues for justice.

“The federal investigation remains ongoing, and we will not hesitate to charge when appropriate,” the source said. “Involving the Civil Rights Division only opens more potential avenues to charge this suspect.”