Kirk, a popular conservative political activist and media personality, was at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah as part of his “American Comeback Tour.”
OREM, Utah — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has died after being shot while speaking at an event in Utah on Wednesday, according to President Donald Trump.
“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,” Trump wrote on social media. “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!”
Kirk, a popular conservative political activist and media personality, was at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah as part of his “American Comeback Tour.” This was his first stop since resuming the tour.
Video taken at the scene showed Kirk bleeding heavily from an apparent gunshot wound to his neck. No other injuries have been reported.
Videos posted on social media of the moments before the shooting shows an audience member asking Kirk “do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the past 10 years?”
He replies “counting or not counting gang violence?” before the gunshot.
Utah Valley University issued an alert that “a single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker.”
A university spokesperson told multiple outlets the suspected shooter has not been arrested, despite the school earlier saying there was someone in custody. Police did take a person into custody after the shooting, but they’re not the suspected shooter, according to AP sources.
The campus is closed and classes have been canceled, according to UVU. Those on campus are asked to stay in place until police escort them off.
Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said in an interview on Fox News Channel there was a light police presence at the event and Kirk had some security but not enough.
FBI Director Kash Patel said agents will be on scene helping with the investigation.
President Donald Trump was one of many to quickly send well wishes to Kirk and urge everyone to pray.
“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Trump wrote on social media.
Support also came from those on the opposite side of the political spectrum.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the shooting “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form” in a post on social media.
Kirk’s team posted photos to social media 20 minutes before the reported shooting, writing “Utah Valley University is FIRED UP and READY for the first stop back on the American Comeback Tour.” The post has since been deleted.
The free event started just after noon local time and was open to the public. His presence caused controversy on the campus recently, with the school paper The UVU Review reporting a petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received hundreds of signatures.
The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”
Videos posted to social media show the aftermath of the reported shooting with dozens of people fleeing from the campus amphitheater.
Kirk is a right-wing activist and media personality most known for founding Turning Point USA, a group aimed at promoting conservative political positions on school campuses.
Turning Point USA and its sister organizations, Turning Point Action, Turning Point Academy, Turning Point Faith and the Turning Point Endowment, were all partially founded by Kirk, who began his political rise in 2012 as an 18-year-old when he was scouted by Tea Party activist Bill Montgomery.
Kirk’s outspoken support of Trump’s policies have made him a hero to some young Republicans, and has drawn the ire of Democrats.
He has publicly promoted conspiracies, including falsely claiming the 2020 election was stolen from Trump and boosting unsubstantiated rumors that the COVID-19 pandemic originated in a Chinese lab.
Kirk is married to Erika Frantzve, a podcaster and businesswoman. They have two children together.