Charlie Kirk, murdered at Utah Valley University
“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, and now, he is no longer with us," President Donald Trump wrote.
Charlie Kirk at an event in January this year.
President Donald Trump confirmed that Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and a key ally in his campaign, died after being shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday.
“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, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In addition, the Republican president ordered that all flags in the country be flown at half-staff until Sunday: “In honor of Charlie Kirk, a true American patriot, I order that all U.S. flags throughout the country be flown at half-mast until Sunday evening at 6 p.m.”
After the shooting, which came from a building about 600 feet away, Kirk, 31, was transported to a hospital where he died, leaving behind his wife Erika and two children. The incident occurred at the first stop of his “American Comeback Tour,” attracting more than 1,000 attendees.
In a post on his X account, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the agency had a suspect in custody. However, he clarified in another post published an hour later that they decided to release him after questioning. "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," Patel said.
The murder
The incident occurred approximately 20 minutes after Kirk began his presentation. According to witnesses and a university spokesperson, shots were heard coming from a nearby building, causing chaos and an immediate lockdown of the campus.
The university issued an alert early on confirming that “a single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker” and that police are investigating. The event, organized by the student chapter of Turning Point USA, was open to the public and was part of a series of stops at universities to promote conservative ideals, including debates on political issues.
LATEST
