Three people have been killed and at least 70 others wounded when a gas tanker truck exploded under a highway overpass in Mexico City, causing widespread damage, according to municipal officials.
The vehicle blew up on a bridge in the densely populated Iztapalapa district in the capital’s east on Wednesday, sending flames and smoke billowing into the surrounding area.
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Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada called the explosion an “emergency” that burned nearly 30 vehicles and left 19 of the injured in grave condition, including the driver of the truck. Among those injured are a baby and a two-year-old child.
Images on television and social media showed the moment of the powerful explosion, the causes of which are not yet known.
People could be seen with what appeared to be serious burns, while others near the disaster zone fled fast-spreading flames that were later brought under control by firefighters.
As emergency vehicles sped by and medics attended to the wounded, groups of neighbours helped pull burn victims from the fire and get them to safety.
Lists of those injured showed some had up to 100 percent of their skin burned off.
Brugada said prosecutors were investigating, but it appeared that the truck, which was transporting 49,500 litres of gas, exploded after it tipped over on the highway.
“This is a horrible accident,” the mayor said at the site of the explosion.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences to the families of those who died in a post on X and thanked emergency teams for their work.
Externamos nuestra solidaridad y apoyo a los familiares de tres personas lamentablemente fallecidas y los lesionados, derivado de la explosión de una pipa en Iztapalapa.
La Coordinación Nacional de Protección Civil, Guardia Nacional, Secretaría de la Defensa y la red de…
The gas tanker had the logo of the energy business Silza on its side, but in a call with The Associated Press news agency, a company official who did not want to be identified denied it was their vehicle. The company did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment or more details.
Later in the night, Mexico’s environmental ministry said in a statement that Silza did not have updated insurance paperwork required to transport gas because its application had been rejected.
The explosion occurred on one of the most important roadways flowing out of the Mexican capital on the way to the city of Puebla. The roadway was reopened by Wednesday evening.
Mexico is no stranger to disasters linked to fuel trucks and hydrocarbon infrastructure.
Here is how things stand on Thursday, September 11:
Fighting
Russian forces launched a “massive” attack across Ukraine, with 415 drones and 40 cruise and ballistic missiles, Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Wednesday.
Ukrainian forces destroyed more than 380 Russian drones, including at least 250 Shahed drones, Zelenskyy added in a later post.
Russia’s TASS state news agency said that a man who was injured by a Ukrainian drone while driving a truck has died in hospital, according to Ruslan Khomenko, the head of the Kherson region’s Aleshkinsky district.
The Russian Ministry of Defence said that its forces shot down 225 Ukrainian drones and a guided missile in a 24-hour period, TASS reported.
A market trader walks through an indoor market minutes after a Russian drone struck the roof and exploded in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, on Wednesday [Thomas Peter/Reuters]
Regional security
Poland’s state news agency PAP reported that the remains of a third drone were found in the country’s Swietokrzyskie province after Polish and NATO forces shot down suspected Russian drones that entered Poland’s airspace on Wednesday.
United States President Donald Trump offered his first reaction to Russia’s drone incursion into Poland, posing the question: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones?” and exclaiming: “Here we go!” on his Truth Social platform.
Trump also spoke with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday afternoon, “regarding the repeated violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones, which occurred last night”, according to a post on X by the Polish leader.
US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker went on X to write: “We stand by our NATO Allies in the face of these airspace violations and will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the Polish allegations as “myths” while Moscow’s Defence Ministry stressed that “there were no plans to hit any targets in Poland”, and expressed readiness to hold consultations with Polish counterparts.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he has received “proposals for concrete support for the air defence of our country”, after speaking with the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Ukraine and NATO.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that the intrusion of “numerous” Russian drones into Polish airspace was “unacceptable” and showed “further evidence of Russia’s escalatory stance”.
Macron also said he had an “excellent phone call” with President Trump, about the “troubling developments in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, particularly following Russian drone incursions into Poland”.
Military aid
David McGuinty, Canada’s minister of national defence, said his country delivered eight Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs) to Poland, which “are on their way to Ukraine”.
The UK said it would mass-produce Ukrainian-designed interceptor drones to help Ukraine counter Russian missiles and one-way attack drones.
Sanctions
President Zelenskyy said that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had informed him about work with the US on strengthening sanctions against Russia.
US Republican Congressman Joe Wilson introduced a bill to reimpose Soviet-era trade restrictions on Russia, “after the attack on Poland”.
The European Commission is considering listing some independent Chinese oil refineries in its 19th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, with the possibility of the proposal coming as soon as Friday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised Israel’s “man-made famine” in Gaza following a controversial meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in London.
“They must stop the man-made famine from worsening further by letting aid in and halting their offensive operations,” a Downing Street spokesperson said following the meeting on Wednesday.
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Starmer “implored Israel to change course” in Gaza, the spokesperson said.
The rare rebuke marks one of Starmer’s strongest criticisms of Israel since taking office in July 2024. It also comes as aid groups warn that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza face catastrophic hunger after nearly two years of bombardment and blockade.
Herzog’s visit to London drew widespread criticism in the United Kingdom, with thousands demonstrating outside Downing Street for a second consecutive day, according to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Protesters also gathered at the London-based think tank Chatham House, banging pots and pans as Herzog delivered a speech.
“There’s a genocide happening and the president of that country is in our country and being welcomed here, when nobody is happy about it,” a protester told Al Jazeera.
“This is not diplomacy,” said another protester.
“You are aiding and abetting a genocide – and this man is not welcome in our country.”
The meeting between Herzog and Starmer came a day after Israel launched an air strike on Qatar, a close ally of the United States and the UK, that targeted a Hamas leadership delegation.
The Downing Street spokesperson said Starmer told Herzog the strike on Doha was “unacceptable” and condemned it as “a flagrant violation of a key partner’s sovereignty”.
Despite the sharp words, the spokesperson added that “the UK and Israel are longstanding allies”.
Speaking after his meeting with Starmer, Herzog confirmed the two leaders had “argued out of respect”.
“Things were said that were tough and strong,” Herzog said, adding, “Clearly, we can argue, because when allies meet, they can argue. We are both democracies.”
Herzog also said that he had invited the UK to send “a fact-finding mission” to Israel “to study the situation in Gaza on the humanitarian level”.
Herzog previously said publicly that the “entire [Palestinian] nation” was responsible for the October 7 attacks on Israel, and two months later, he was witnessed personally signing artillery shells due to be fired into Gaza.
In parliament earlier on Wednesday, Scottish National Party leader Stephen Flynn asked: “What does it say of this prime minister that he will harbour this man whilst children starve?”
Starmer defended his decision to meet Herzog, rejecting calls to cut diplomatic ties. “I will not give up on diplomacy,” he said.
Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and commentator who became a household name in the United States as an outspoken ally of President Donald Trump, has been shot and killed at a Utah college event.
As the CEO and cofounder of the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA, the 31-year-old Kirk attracted millions of viewers online for his outdoor debates on US college campuses.
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Video of the shooting circulating on social media showed Kirk speaking to a large outdoor crowd and, moments later, falling off his chair with his hands on his neck after a loud crack that sounded like a gunshot.
He was pronounced dead after being brought to hospital in critical condition.
Utah authorities said Kirk was killed with a single shot that likely came from the rooftop of a nearby building in what is believed to be a targeted killing.
FBI director Kash Patel said a suspect in the shooting had been taken into custody but then released after interrogation.
The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5
Kirk was known for his polarising debates on hot-button topics, including transgender identity and abortion.
An online petition calling on university administrators to prevent him from speaking on Wednesday had received nearly 1,000 signatures.
With the rise of political violence across the US in recent years, Kirk’s killing has brought condemnation from both sides of the political spectrum.
Here are reactions to the news of Kirk’s death:
US President Donald Trump
President Trump, who survived two assassination attempts last year, wrote on his Truth Social platform that “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead”.
Playing the role of adviser and supporter in previous Trump election campaigns, Kirk developed a close relationship with Trump’s campaign team and his family.
“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,” Trump wrote.
“In honour of Charlie Kirk, a truly Great American Patriot, I am ordering all American Flags throughout the United States lowered to Half Mast until Sunday evening at 6 PM,” he said.
President Trump shakes hands with Charlie Kirk during a Generation Next White House forum at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, in Washington, in 2018 [File: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo]
Former US President Joe Biden
Joe Biden, who was running for president in 2020 when Kirk was a vocal ally of the Trump campaign, condemned the shooting on the X platform.
“There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones,” he wrote.
There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.
Former US President Barack Obama
“We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.”
We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Kirk repeatedly professed his Christian Evangelical faith and was a staunch supporter of Israel during his on-air debates at college campuses. In a post on X, Israel’s Netanyahu regretted that the activist could not visit Israel as planned.
“Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place. We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk. It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband.
“We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear – there can be no justification for political violence,” he wrote.
My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk.
It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband.
We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear – there can be no justification for political violence.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, US Secretary of Health and Human Services
“Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era. My dear friend Charlie Kirk was our country’s relentless and courageous crusader for free speech. We pray for Erika and the children,” Kennedy wrote on X.
“Charlie is already in paradise with the angels. We ask his prayers for our country.”
Hollywood actor Mel Gibson
“The brutal murder of Charlie Kirk is nothing short of evil a cowardly attack on America’s very soul. Faith, family, freedom, the right to speak truth trampled by violence. My blood boils. Justice must be relentless and unforgiving,” he wrote.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
“If you knew him, you’d love him,” Hegseth told US troops, speaking of his admiration for and friendship with Kirk.
“Taken by an assassin’s bullet – unfathomable,” Hegseth said.
A prayer for Charlie Kirk and those who serve. pic.twitter.com/wWkEEvheRm
Dean Withers, American livestreamer and liberal political commentator
Withers, who was often seen on the opposite end of Kirk during debates on political YouTube channels, posted a video on TikTok, which now has more than 10 million views, saying: “I’m sad, distraught. In fact, I just cried in front of my livestream in front of 250,000 people.”
He continued, “[Gun violence] is always disgusting, always vile and always abhorrent.”
“My thoughts and prayers go out to Charlie Kirk’s friends, family, children, loved ones, as well as every single person in attendance at his event today in Utah.”
Eduardo Bolsonaro – son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
Bolsonaro said in a post on the X platform that he was “shocked” by Kirk’s killing, whom he described as a “young man with a good heart … who dedicated his life to mobilising conservative youth in the US”.
“I had the honour of accompanying him in his work and know the greatness of his mission. Another conservative victim of hate and intolerance,” Bolsonaro wrote.
Brazil’s right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro, right, speaks alongside Turning Point USA cofounder Charlie Kirk, at an event in 2023, in Doral, Florida, the US [File: Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo]
One of the fiercest and most widely followed rivalries in sport will be in the spotlight once again when India clashes with Pakistan in cricket’s T20 Asia Cup 2025.
Both teams will be riding a wave of confidence, given their recent form in T20 internationals.
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Defending champions India made a winning start to their campaign with a nine-wicket thrashing of hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their Group A game in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Pakistan enters the Asia Cup on the back of a tri-nation T20 series win against Afghanistan and the UAE in Sharjah.
Here’s everything you need to know about the match:
When and where is India vs Pakistan?
The Group A fixture is scheduled for Sunday and will begin at 6:30pm (14:30 GMT) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Why is Dubai hosting India vs Pakistan?
India was slated to host the tournament as per the hosting rights schedule, and while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains the official host of the tournament, it is being played in the UAE due to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.
Why doesn’t India play bilateral cricket series against Pakistan?
The Indian government has barred its athletes and teams from competing against their Pakistani counterparts in bilateral tournaments in all sports. Indian athletes are also barred from travelling to Pakistan, forcing all India-Pakistan encounters in multination sports tournaments to be hosted at a neutral venue.
Prior to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, both countries agreed to host each other at a neutral venue during ICC events.
India and Pakistan have mutually agreed to face each other only at neutral venues [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo]
What’s the weather forecast for India vs Pakistan in Dubai?
September is typically a hot month in the UAE, and this year is no different.
The weather forecast for Sunday is hot and humid, with highs of 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) and partial cloud cover.
It will get slightly cooler in the evening as the match will start just after sunset and the temperature will drop to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).
What happened in the last India vs Pakistan match?
The last meeting between India and Pakistan was at the same venue, Dubai, on February 23, in the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy.
A Virat Kohli batting masterclass helped India win by six wickets on a slow Dubai pitch, where Pakistan posted 241 in 49.4 overs. It was India’s 58th win over Pakistan in one-day internationals (ODI). Pakistan have beaten India 73 times in the ODI format.
Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring his century and winning the match against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 [File: Satish Kumar/Reuters]
How many times has Pakistan won the Asia Cup?
Pakistan have lifted the trophy on two occasions – in 2000 and 2012 – and qualified for the final five times.
India are seven-time Asia Cup champions, with 11 appearances in the final.
How many times has India beaten Pakistan in the Asia Cup?
In their 19 clashes in the Asia Cup, India have beaten Pakistan 10 times and lost to their neighbours on six occasions. Three matches, including the group-stage match in 2023, were abandoned due to poor weather.
When was the last time Pakistan beat India?
Pakistan’s last Asia Cup win over India came in the 2022 edition in the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 71 runs in the Super Four clash, but it was Mohammad Nawaz’s 20-ball-41 that took Pakistan over the line in the run chase.
Mohammad Rizwan was the top scorer in Pakistan’s win over India in 2022 [File: Satish Kumar/Reuters]
How many times will India play Pakistan at the Asia Cup?
While Sunday’s match is, so far, the only confirmed India vs Pakistan match at the Asia Cup, they could meet again on September 21 in a Super Fours clash, should they qualify for the second stage.
The September 28 final offers cricket fans the chance of a third India vs Pakistan match in two weeks – if both teams qualify.
India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in T20Is
Since the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the countries have met in 13 T20Is. India has won 10 times, including the first match in 2007, which was tied and then decided in a Super Over.
Two of Pakistan’s three wins came in Dubai.
Players to watch: India
Abhishek Sharma: The fact that the young top-order batter has managed to carve a spot in a highly competitive T20 Indian batting lineup is enough to mark Sharma as one to watch in the Asia Cup. The 24-year-old boasts the highest career strike rate of 193 among all batters in T20s and backs it up with two centuries and half-centuries in the format.
Varun Chakaravarthy: The 34-year-old leg-spin bowler’s second foray into the Indian side has reaped him big rewards as he has taken 27 wickets in his last 12 T20I matches.
Players to watch: Pakistan
Hasan Nawaz: Pakistan have often been criticised for their batters’ inability to match modern-day T20 batting strike rates, but in Nawaz, they seem to have found a solution to this problem. The 23-year-old has a strike rate of 174, with a T20 hundred and two fifties in his 16 matches.
Sufiyan Muqeem: The left-arm wrist spinner has taken 25 wickets in his 17 T20Is since making his debut less than two years ago and has become a mainstay of the bowling lineup in limited-overs cricket.
Sufiyan Muqeem has become a mainstay of Pakistan’s bowling attack in T20Is [File: Rick Rycroft/AP Photo]
Form guide: India
Prior to the Asia Cup, India hadn’t played a T20 match since hosting England in a five-match series in January and February.
The T20 world champions won the series 4-1 to maintain their dominance at the top of the ICC T20 men’s teams rankings.
In fact, India have only lost three of the 20 T20s they have played since winning the World Cup in June 2024.
Last five results (most recent first): W-W-W-L-W
Form guide: Pakistan
Pakistan’s form in T20s has been mixed of late, and they have won three of their five T20 series this year.
They head into the marquee clash with a series win in the bag.
Last five results (most recent first): W-W-L-W-W
Team news: India
India have been bolstered by Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the T20 side after a long injury and workload management forced layoff.
They are likely to keep the same XI that beat the UAE in the opening match.
As is the norm in Pakistan cricket, the team has gone through a number of changes since the T20 World Cup 2024, including squad shuffling, a change of captaincy and the introduction of new coaching staff.
Since May, though, the team and captain have remained largely unchanged. Pakistan are likely to field a mix of youth and experience in their XI for Sunday’s match.
Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Where can I buy tickets for India vs Pakistan?
A selection of seats, starting at $135 apiece for the general stand and going up to $4,550 for a two-person hospitality box, are still available on the tournament’s official ticketing website, Platinumlist, and at the stadium’s ticketing office.
How to watch, follow and stream India vs Pakistan?
Al Jazeera Sport will have a live photo and text commentary stream from 09:00 GMT on Sunday.
Charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative activist in the United States and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, was shot dead at an event at Utah Valley University.
Video of the incident circulating on social media showed Kirk speaking to a large outdoor crowd when a loud crack, a gunshot, rings out.
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Kirk briefly clutches his neck before collapsing from his chair, sending attendees fleeing. He was 31 years old.
Here is what we know:
What happened?
Kirk was on a speaking tour, and his stop at Utah Valley University was the first of at least 15 scheduled events at universities around the country as part of his “American Comeback Tour”.
Before the shooting, he was seated at his “Prove Me Wrong” debating table, taking questions from an audience outdoors.
Videos show that Kirk was going back and forth with a student about mass shootings and transgender people when he was shot.
“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” Kirk was asked.
“Too many,” Kirk responded as the crowd clapped.
“Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” To which Kirk replied, “Counting or not counting gang violence?”
Seconds later, Kirk could be seen struck in the neck as he falls from his chair.
The scene after US right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk was shot at a Utah Valley University speaking event in Orem, Utah [Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Reuters]
According to reports, Kirk was shot about 20 minutes after he began speaking at approximately 12:10pm local time (18:10 GMT).
In video footage from the event, it can be seen how Kirk moved his hand towards his neck as he fell off his chair, sending the attendees running. In another clip, blood can be seen gushing from his neck immediately after the shot.
No one else was shot during the event.
Kirk’s wife and children were present during the incident.
Where did the shooting happen?
The shooting took place in the courtyard at Utah Valley University, located about 64km (40 miles) south of Salt Lake City.
A spokeswoman for the university said Kirk was hit by a shot fired from the roof of the school’s Losee Center, a campus building about 180 metres (200 yards) from the event area.
It was not clear whether the shot was fired from a rooftop or an open window.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Charlie Kirk was one of the most prominent conservative activists and media personalities in the US, and a trusted ally of President Trump.
He co-founded Turning Point USA, a nonprofit conservative advocacy group, when he was just 18.
Kirk’s group grew into the country’s largest conservative youth movement, and over the years, he became a central player in a network of pro-Trump influencers, often described as the face of the “Make America Great Again” movement.
Trump often credited Kirk with bringing many young voters and voters of colour over to his side during the 2024 presidential campaign.
He was also a sharp critic of mainstream media and threw himself into culture-war battles over race, gender and immigration.
His provocative style won him a loyal support base but also fierce opposition.
Cofounder and president of Turning Point, Charlie Kirk, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference [File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]
Kirk also became a close friend of the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, with whom Kirk travelled to Greenland in January. He was also an early champion of Vice President JD Vance as Trump was deciding whether the senator would be his running mate.
Kirk had 5.2 million followers on the platform X and hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, a podcast and radio programme that reached more than 500,000 listeners each month. He made regular appearances on Fox News, including a recent guest co-hosting slot on Fox & Friends.
According to a report by The New York Times, Kirk never pursued a role within the administration. His aim was to reshape the Republican Party and, more broadly, American politics.
“We want to transform the culture,” he told The New York Times Magazine in February.
Kirk also built a fortune through his popular podcast, frequent speaking engagements and books, including his 2020 bestseller, The MAGA Doctrine.
On social media, he posted constantly, offering a right-wing perspective on a plethora of issues.
In response to the fatal, unprovoked stabbing of a white woman by a Black man, Kirk posted this on X on Tuesday:
Will Cain is 100% right.
We have been propagandized by liars and fakers in the media to believe that America is a vicious, racist country and indiscriminate attacks on black people by whites happen all the time.
But the numbers tell the truth. Black attacks on white people… pic.twitter.com/SHmlxAIhds
What do we know about the shooter?
There was confusion about whether a suspect was in custody.
A “person of interest” was in custody on Wednesday evening, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said, though no charges were immediately announced.
FBI director, Kash Patel, said on X: “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in the interest of transparency.”
Beau Mason, the head of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said a suspect was described as being dressed in all-dark clothing.
He said one shot was fired in the fatal attack.
Six officers were working the event, and there were more than 3,000 people in attendance, according to Jeff Long, chief of the Utah Valley University police department.
Kirk also had a private security team with him.
“This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” Utah Governor Cox said.
“I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.”
What’s the latest on the ground?
Currently, the campus is closed, according to the university.
At 12:37 pm (18:37 GMT), the university shut down the campus, cancelled classes, and told everyone to leave.
At 2:01 pm (20:01 GMT), students were told to “stay where you are until police can escort you off campus safely”.
Classes have been cancelled until further notice.
UVU campus is closed. Classes cancelled. Those on campus, secure in place until police officers can escort you safely off campus. Police are currently going building to building escorting people off campus. Roads to campus are currently closed.
What have been the reactions?
Democrats and Republicans quickly denounced the shooting on social media and in Congress.
Trump has ordered all American flags to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening, in honour of Kirk.
“There is no place” for this violence, former US President Joe Biden said on X.
There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.
Vice President JD Vance also reacted:
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. pic.twitter.com/lYLEjv40bN
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had invited Kirk to Israel:
Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place. We lost an…
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, posted on Telegram: “There was an attack on Charlie Kirk, one of the most ardent conservative leaders known for his positive statements about Russia and his calls for dialogue.”
Barack Obama, former US president, said this: “Despicable violence has no place in our democracy.”
We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.
