OREM, Utah – Charlie Kirk, the outspoken right-wing activist and founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on Wednesday during a campus speaking event at Utah Valley University, authorities and his organization confirmed. He was 31.
Utah officials described the killing as a “political assassination,” sending shockwaves across the country and drawing strong reactions from political leaders, including former President Donald Trump.
According to Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, a single shot rang out at approximately 12:20 p.m. local time as Kirk was addressing a crowd of nearly 3,000 attendees. Witnesses reported that the gunman, dressed in dark clothing, fired from a distance—possibly from a rooftop.
Campus police officers and Kirk’s private security team rushed to his aid, and he was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
“It sounded like a firecracker, and then I just saw so much blood come out of the left side of Charlie’s neck,” recalled Emma Pitts, a Deseret News reporter who was present. “Then he went limp.”
Authorities say no arrests have been made, though one person was detained at the scene before being released. FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses. “Our investigation continues, and we will provide updates in the interest of transparency,” Patel wrote on X.
In a video statement on Truth Social, Trump said he was “filled with grief and anger,” hailing Kirk as a “martyr for truth and freedom.” The former president added: “My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity.” He later ordered American flags to be flown at half-staff until Sunday.
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Utah Governor Spencer Cox condemned the killing, calling it “a dark day for our state” and “a tragic day for our nation.”
Turning Point USA confirmed Kirk’s death in a statement: “It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gunshot during Turning Point USA’s ‘The American Comeback Tour.’”
Kirk rose to prominence over the past decade by engaging young Americans in conservative politics, often sparking heated debates on college campuses. His “American Comeback Tour” event in Utah was the first stop of a planned 15-campus speaking series.
Utah Valley University has since closed all campuses through September 14. “We are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk, a guest to our campus,” the university said in a statement.
