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.
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.
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.
Turning Point also posted on X:
pic.twitter.com/JbWK9BNnbR
Source: Aljazeera
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