WASHINGTON – Conservative activist and political commentator Charlie Kirk has been gunned down after being shot in the neck while addressing students at Utah Valley University.
Kirk, co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, emerged as one of most influential figures on the American right, credited with galvanizing young voters and helping bolster Trump’s political comeback last year.
The shooting occurred shortly after noon in the university’s Sorensen Center courtyard. Clips shared online show Kirk speaking under a white tent when a single gunshot rang out. He grabbed his neck as blood poured out, and chaos broke out among the crowd as security rushed him away.
University officials confirmed fatality and said campus police responded immediately. Initial reports suggested shot was fired from a nearby building about 200 yards away, though that detail has not yet been independently confirmed. A suspect was briefly detained but later released, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
President Trump called Kirk “great, even legendary.” In a statement on Truth Social, he wrote: “He had the heart of America’s youth like no one else. Melania and I extend our deepest condolences to his wife Erika and family. Charlie, we love you.”
Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was in attendance, told Fox News the shot rang out during a Q&A session. “Everybody dropped to the ground. People were screaming and running,” he said.
Tributes poured in across the political spectrum. Right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren called Kirk a “visionary” who paved the way for young conservatives. California Governor Gavin Newsom, often at odds with Kirk’s politics, condemned the attack as “disgusting and reprehensible,” stressing that political violence must be rejected “in every form.”
Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA in 2012 at just 18 years old, rose to prominence through campus tours, media appearances, and viral social media clips. His outspoken style and strong advocacy of conservative values made him both a celebrated figure on the right and a frequent target of criticism from opponents.
