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Charlie Kirk, a well-known blimpish activistic successful the United States and staunch state of President Donald Trump, was changeable dead astatine an lawsuit astatine Utah Valley University.
Video of the incidental circulating connected societal media showed Kirk speaking to a ample outdoor assemblage erstwhile a large crack, a gunshot, rings out.
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Kirk concisely clutches his cervix earlier collapsing from his chair, sending attendees fleeing. He was 31 years old.
Here is what we know:
What happened?
Kirk was connected a speaking tour, and his halt astatine Utah Valley University was the archetypal of astatine slightest 15 scheduled events astatine universities astir the state arsenic portion of his “American Comeback Tour”.
Before the shooting, helium was seated astatine his “Prove Me Wrong” debating table, taking questions from an assemblage outdoors.
Videos amusement that Kirk was going backmost and distant with a pupil astir wide shootings and transgender radical erstwhile helium was shot.
“Do you cognize however galore transgender Americans person been wide shooters implicit the past 10 years?” Kirk was asked.
“Too many,” Kirk responded arsenic the assemblage clapped.
“Do you cognize however galore wide shooters determination person been successful America implicit the past 10 years?” To which Kirk replied, “Counting oregon not counting pack violence?”
Seconds later, Kirk could beryllium seen struck successful the cervix arsenic helium falls from his chair.
The country aft US right-wing activistic and commentator Charlie Kirk was changeable astatine a Utah Valley University speaking lawsuit successful Orem, Utah [Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Reuters]According to reports, Kirk was changeable astir 20 minutes aft helium began speaking astatine astir 12:10pm section clip (18:10 GMT).
In video footage from the event, it tin beryllium seen however Kirk moved his manus towards his cervix arsenic helium fell disconnected his chair, sending the attendees running. In different clip, humor tin beryllium seen gushing from his cervix instantly aft the shot.
No 1 other was changeable during the event.
Kirk’s woman and children were contiguous during the incident.
Where did the shooting happen?
The shooting took spot successful the courtyard astatine Utah Valley University, located astir 64km (40 miles) southbound of Salt Lake City.
A spokeswoman for the assemblage said Kirk was deed by a changeable fired from the extortion of the school’s Losee Center, a field gathering astir 180 metres (200 yards) from the lawsuit area.
It was not wide whether the changeable was fired from a rooftop oregon an unfastened window.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Charlie Kirk was 1 of the astir salient blimpish activists and media personalities successful the US, and a trusted state of President Trump.
He co-founded Turning Point USA, a nonprofit blimpish advocacy group, erstwhile helium was conscionable 18.
Kirk’s radical grew into the country’s largest blimpish younker movement, and implicit the years, helium became a cardinal subordinate successful a web of pro-Trump influencers, often described arsenic the look of the “Make America Great Again” movement.
Trump often credited Kirk with bringing galore young voters and voters of colour implicit to his broadside during the 2024 statesmanlike campaign.
He was besides a crisp professional of mainstream media and threw himself into culture-war battles implicit race, sex and immigration.
His provocative benignant won him a loyal enactment basal but besides fierce opposition.
Cofounder and president of Turning Point, Charlie Kirk, speaks astatine the Conservative Political Action Conference [File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]Kirk besides became a adjacent person of the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, with whom Kirk travelled to Greenland successful January. He was besides an aboriginal champion of Vice President JD Vance arsenic Trump was deciding whether the legislator would beryllium his moving mate.
Kirk had 5.2 cardinal followers connected the level X and hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, a podcast and vigor programme that reached much than 500,000 listeners each month. He made regular appearances connected Fox News, including a caller impermanent co-hosting slot connected Fox & Friends.
According to a study by The New York Times, Kirk ne'er pursued a relation wrong the administration. His purpose was to reshape the Republican Party and, much broadly, American politics.
“We privation to alteration the culture,” helium told The New York Times Magazine successful February.
Kirk besides built a luck done his fashionable podcast, predominant speaking engagements and books, including his 2020 bestseller, The MAGA Doctrine.
On societal media, helium posted constantly, offering a right-wing position connected a plethora of issues.
In effect to the fatal, unprovoked stabbing of a achromatic pistillate by a Black man, Kirk posted this connected X connected Tuesday:
Will Cain is 100% right.
We person been propagandized by liars and fakers successful the media to judge that America is simply a vicious, racist state and indiscriminate attacks connected achromatic radical by whites hap each the time.
But the numbers archer the truth. Black attacks connected achromatic people… pic.twitter.com/SHmlxAIhds
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 9, 2025
What bash we cognize astir the shooter?
There was disorder astir whether a fishy was successful custody.
A “person of interest” was successful custody connected Wednesday evening, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said, though nary charges were instantly announced.
FBI director, Kash Patel, said connected X: “The taxable successful custody has been released aft an interrogation by instrumentality enforcement. Our probe continues and we volition proceed to merchandise accusation successful the involvement of transparency.”
Beau Mason, the caput of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said a fishy was described arsenic being dressed successful all-dark clothing.
He said 1 changeable was fired successful the fatal attack.
Six officers were moving the event, and determination were much than 3,000 radical successful attendance, according to Jeff Long, main of the Utah Valley University constabulary department.
Kirk besides had a backstage information squad with him.
“This is simply a acheronian time for our state. It’s a tragic time for our nation,” Utah Governor Cox said.
“I privation to beryllium precise wide that this is simply a governmental assassination.”
What’s the latest connected the ground?
Currently, the field is closed, according to the university.
At 12:37 p.m. (18:37 GMT), the assemblage unopen down the campus, cancelled classes, and told everyone to leave.
At 2:01 p.m. (20:01 GMT), students were told to “stay wherever you are until constabulary tin escort you disconnected field safely”.
Classes person been cancelled until further notice.
UVU field is closed. Classes cancelled. Those connected campus, unafraid successful spot until constabulary officers tin escort you safely disconnected campus. Police are presently going gathering to gathering escorting radical disconnected campus. Roads to field are presently closed.
— UVU (@UVU) September 10, 2025
What person been the reactions?
Democrats and Republicans rapidly denounced the shooting connected societal media and successful Congress.
Trump has ordered each American flags to beryllium lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening, successful honour of Kirk.
“There is nary place” for this violence, erstwhile US President Joe Biden said connected X.
There is nary spot successful our state for this benignant of violence. It indispensable extremity now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s household and loved ones.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 10, 2025
Vice President JD Vance besides reacted:
Eternal remainder assistance unto him, O Lord. pic.twitter.com/lYLEjv40bN
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 10, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said helium had invited Kirk to Israel:
Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking information and defending freedom. A lion-hearted person of Israel, helium fought the lies and stood gangly for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him lone 2 weeks agone and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that sojourn volition not instrumentality place.
We mislaid an…
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 10, 2025
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s concern envoy, posted connected Telegram: “There was an onslaught connected Charlie Kirk, 1 of the astir ardent blimpish leaders known for his affirmative statements astir Russia and his calls for dialogue.”
Barack Obama, erstwhile US president, said this: “Despicable unit has nary spot successful our democracy.”
We don’t yet cognize what motivated the idiosyncratic who changeable and killed Charlie Kirk, but this benignant of despicable unit has nary spot successful our democracy. Michelle and I volition beryllium praying for Charlie’s household tonight, particularly his woman Erika and their 2 young children.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 10, 2025
Turning Point besides posted connected X:
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) September 10, 2025
English (US) ·