Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a prominent voice of the MAGA movement and close ally of President Donald Trump, has been shot dead while addressing students at Utah Valley University.
FBI director Kash Patel has confirmed that the subject of the shooting is in custody.
The 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA was struck by a bullet to the neck shortly after midday on Wednesday, in front of a large outdoor audience gathered under a tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.”
As per local media reports, witnesses described scenes of chaos as the single shot rang out, interrupting Kirk’s exchange with a student about America’s epidemic of gun violence.
Videos posted on social media shows him recoiling as blood pours down his shirt, before screams erupt from the crowd. He was rushed to hospital but died within hours.
It is reported that a manhunt is now underway, with armed officers scouring neighbourhoods surrounding the Orem campus, knocking on doors and appealing for witnesses.
“There is no suspect in custody, it is an active investigation,” a Utah Valley University spokesperson said.
The assassination has sent shockwaves through American politics. Trump confirmed Kirk’s death on Truth Social in an emotional post:
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me … Melania and my sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
Trump later ordered all U.S. flags on federal buildings and embassies lowered to half-mast until Sunday evening, and cancelled a planned presidential dinner. The White House quickly complied, lowering its flag within an hour of Trump’s post.
Vice President J.D. Vance, Attorney-General Pam Bondi, Utah senator Mike Lee and state legislators joined the chorus of condemnation. Mike Schultz, Speaker of Utah’s House of Representatives, declared:
“No disagreement, no matter how deep, justifies an attack like this. What happened is wrong, it is dangerous, and it cannot be tolerated. We cannot allow hatred and violence to define who we are.”
In rare unity, Democratic leaders echoed their Republican counterparts. Former president Joe Biden posted on X that he and wife Jill were “praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.” He added: “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now.” Former vice president and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris called the shooting “deeply disturbing,” declaring:
“Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.”
Indian-American entrepreneur and candidate for Governor of Ohio Vivek Ramaswamy paid tribute to Charlie Kirk following his assassination at Utah Valley University, describing him as a fearless advocate for dialogue and civic engagement.
“Charlie Kirk was more committed to peaceful, open dialogue with those who disagreed with him than anyone I know,” Ramaswamy wrote.
“God blessed him with immense gifts, and he used them boldly and without fear. He knew the risks he was taking, but he did it anyway because he loved his kids and felt a responsibility to the nation they would inhabit. Completely and utterly devastated.”
Ramaswamy recalled travelling the country with Kirk last year, meeting him in Ohio two weeks ago, and speaking with him just two days prior to the shooting. He noted that Kirk had long warned of the rise of political violence and the growing culture of assassination, often when few were willing to listen.
International figures and organisations have also reacted. Canadian Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said political violence must “NEVER be justified.”
Australia’s One Nation leader Pauline Hanson described Kirk as “a very brave young man who dared to speak the truth,” saying conservatives worldwide were “disturbed” by his death.
The Hindu American Foundation issued a strongly worded statement:
“We are horrified and outraged by the assassination of Charlie Kirk as he gave a speech at a college campus in Utah. Political violence must be eradicated from society and speech we like or do not like should be met with more speech, never bullets. Om Shanti.”
Kirk, an evangelical Christian, founded Turning Point USA in 2012, building it into a powerhouse conservative youth organisation aligned with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement. Through its Turning Point Action arm, the group played a central role in voter outreach during Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign, with rallies and campus debates aimed at mobilising young conservatives.
Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour” had taken him to university campuses across the country, where his confrontational style often drew protests. The Utah Valley University stop was no exception. An online petition to bar him from campus had gathered nearly 1,000 signatures, but administrators defended his right to speak, citing First Amendment protections.
It is reported that just days before the event, Kirk had posted screenshots of headlines about the controversy to X, asking: “What is going on in Utah?”
In the wake of the shooting, Utah Valley University announced that classes had been cancelled and the campus closed until further notice. Students were ordered to evacuate immediately and follow police instructions. The assassination has reignited debate about the toxic state of U.S. political discourse, the dangers of polarisation, and the persistent scourge of gun violence.
As tributes poured in, a visibly shaken community of supporters gathered online and at makeshift memorials, many echoing Trump’s words that Kirk was “legendary” in his ability to connect with America’s youth. But the killing has also left the nation searching for answers: who pulled the trigger, why Kirk was targeted, and what it means for an already fractured political landscape. For now, investigators continue their search, while flags across the United States fly at half-mast in honour of the slain activist.
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