Charlie Kirk, a well known conservative activist in the USA and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, was shot lifeless at an occasion at Utah Valley College.
Video of the incident circulating on social media confirmed Kirk talking to a big out of doors crowd when a loud crack, a gunshot, rings out.
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Kirk briefly clutches his neck earlier than collapsing from his chair, sending attendees fleeing. He was 31 years previous.
Here’s what we all know:
What occurred?
Kirk was on a talking tour, and his cease at Utah Valley College was the primary of at the least 15 scheduled occasions at universities across the nation as a part of his “American Comeback Tour”.
Earlier than the taking pictures, he was seated at his “Show Me Fallacious” debating desk, taking questions from an viewers outside.
Movies present that Kirk was going forwards and backwards with a scholar about mass shootings and transgender individuals when he was shot.
“Are you aware what number of transgender Individuals have been mass shooters during the last 10 years?” Kirk was requested.
“Too many,” Kirk responded as the gang clapped.
“Are you aware what number of mass shooters there have been in America during the last 10 years?” To which Kirk replied, “Counting or not counting gang violence?”
Seconds later, Kirk may very well be seen struck within the neck as he falls from his chair.
Based on stories, Kirk was shot about 20 minutes after he started talking at roughly 12:10pm native time (18:10 GMT).
In video footage from the occasion, it may be seen how Kirk moved his hand in the direction of his neck as he fell off his chair, sending the attendees operating. In one other clip, blood may be seen gushing from his neck instantly after the shot.
Nobody else was shot through the occasion.
Kirk’s spouse and youngsters have been current through the incident.
The place did the taking pictures occur?
The taking pictures happened within the courtyard at Utah Valley College, situated about 64km (40 miles) south of Salt Lake Metropolis.
A spokeswoman for the college mentioned Kirk was hit by a shot fired from the roof of the college’s Losee Heart, a campus constructing about 180 metres (200 yards) from the occasion space.
It was not clear whether or not the shot was fired from a rooftop or an open window.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Charlie Kirk was some of the outstanding conservative activists and media personalities within the US, and a trusted ally of President Trump.
He co-founded Turning Level USA, a nonprofit conservative advocacy group, when he was simply 18.
Kirk’s group grew into the nation’s largest conservative youth motion, and over time, he turned a central participant in a community of pro-Trump influencers, usually described because the face of the “Make America Nice Once more” motion.
Trump usually credited Kirk with bringing many younger voters and voters of color over to his facet through the 2024 presidential marketing campaign.
He was additionally a pointy critic of mainstream media and threw himself into culture-war battles over race, gender and immigration.
His provocative model received him a loyal help base but additionally fierce opposition.
Kirk additionally turned an in depth good friend of the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, with whom Kirk travelled to Greenland in January. He was additionally an early champion of Vice President JD Vance as Trump was deciding whether or not the senator could be his operating mate.
Kirk had 5.2 million followers on the platform X and hosted The Charlie Kirk Present, a podcast and radio programme that reached greater than 500,000 listeners every month. He made common appearances on Fox Information, together with a current visitor co-hosting slot on Fox & Associates.
Based on a report by The New York Instances, Kirk by no means pursued a task throughout the administration. His purpose was to reshape the Republican Get together and, extra broadly, American politics.
“We wish to rework the tradition,” he informed The New York Instances Journal in February.
Kirk additionally constructed a fortune via his in style podcast, frequent talking engagements and books, together with his 2020 bestseller, The MAGA Doctrine.
On social media, he posted always, providing a right-wing perspective on a plethora of points.
In response to the deadly, unprovoked stabbing of a white lady by a Black man, Kirk posted this on X on Tuesday:
Will Cain is 100% proper.
We have now been propagandized by liars and fakers within the media to imagine that America is a vicious, racist nation and indiscriminate assaults on black individuals by whites occur on a regular basis.
However the numbers inform the reality. Black assaults on white individuals… pic.twitter.com/SHmlxAIhds
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 9, 2025
What do we all know in regards to the shooter?
There was confusion about whether or not a suspect was in custody.
A “particular person of curiosity” was in custody on Wednesday night, Utah Governor Spencer Cox mentioned, although no fees have been instantly introduced.
FBI director, Kash Patel, mentioned on X: “The topic in custody has been launched after an interrogation by legislation enforcement. Our investigation continues and we are going to proceed to launch data within the curiosity of transparency.”
Beau Mason, the top of the Utah Division of Public Security, mentioned a suspect was described as being wearing all-dark clothes.
He mentioned one shot was fired within the deadly assault.
Six officers have been working the occasion, and there have been greater than 3,000 individuals in attendance, in accordance with Jeff Lengthy, chief of the Utah Valley College police division.
Kirk additionally had a non-public safety workforce with him.
“It is a darkish day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” Utah Governor Cox mentioned.
“I wish to be very clear that it is a political assassination.”
What’s the most recent on the bottom?
At the moment, the campus is closed, in accordance with the college.
At 12:37 pm (18:37 GMT), the college shut down the campus, cancelled lessons, and informed everybody to go away.
At 2:01 pm (20:01 GMT), college students have been informed to “keep the place you’re till police can escort you off campus safely”.
Courses have been cancelled till additional discover.
UVU campus is closed. Courses cancelled. These on campus, safe in place till cops can escort you safely off campus. Police are at the moment going constructing to constructing escorting individuals off campus. Roads to campus are at the moment closed.
— UVU (@UVU) September 10, 2025
What have been the reactions?
Democrats and Republicans shortly denounced the taking pictures on social media and in Congress.
Trump has ordered all American flags to be lowered to half-staff till Sunday night, in honour of Kirk.
“There isn’t any place” for this violence, former US President Joe Biden mentioned on X.
There isn’t any place in our nation for this sort of violence. It should finish now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s household and family members.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 10, 2025
Vice President JD Vance additionally reacted:
Everlasting relaxation grant unto him, O Lord. pic.twitter.com/lYLEjv40bN
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 10, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned he had invited Kirk to Israel:
Charlie Kirk was murdered for talking fact and defending freedom. A lion-hearted good friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him solely two weeks in the past and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that go to won’t happen.
We misplaced an…— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 10, 2025
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s funding envoy, posted on Telegram: “There was an assault on Charlie Kirk, some of the ardent conservative leaders identified for his constructive statements about Russia and his requires dialogue.”
Barack Obama, former US president, mentioned this: “Despicable violence has no place in our democracy.”
We don’t but know what motivated the one that shot and killed Charlie Kirk, however this sort of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I shall be praying for Charlie’s household tonight, particularly his spouse Erika and their two younger kids.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 10, 2025
Turning Level additionally posted on X:
— Turning Level USA (@TPUSA) September 10, 2025
