Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a prominent ally of US President Donald Trump, was fatally shot on Wednesday, September 10, while addressing students at Utah Valley University. Authorities described the attack as a political assassination, launching a major manhunt for a lone sniper.
Asked about shootings before being shot
At the venue, Kirk had just been asked by an audience member about the number of mass shootings in America over the past decade. He began to reply, «Counting or not counting gang violence?» before the gunshot rang out, killing him instantly.
The 31-year-old was struck in the neck by a single bullet apparently fired from a rooftop on the Orem campus as he spoke to around 3,000 people. Mobile phone footage showed Kirk clutching his neck before collapsing from his chair as blood poured from the wound, sending the crowd into panic and forcing attendees to scatter for cover.
Utah officials confirm political assassination
Utah’s governor Spencer Cox said:
«This is a dark day for our state, it’s a tragic day for our nation. I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.»
State police confirmed that two men had initially been detained but later released with no link to the shooting.
At a press conference, Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, confirmed the suspect remained at large. University police chief Jeff Long said six officers were working the event alongside Kirk’s private security team, but the sniper managed to strike from distance.
President Trump issued a video message from the Oval Office vowing to bring those responsible to justice. He ordered US flags flown at half-mast until Sunday, describing Kirk as a «wonderful American» and blaming violent political rhetoric for fuelling extremism.
Conservative figurehead and rising violence
Kirk’s killing came during the opening event of his planned 15-stop «American Comeback Tour».
Known as co-founder of the conservative youth movement Turning Point USA, Kirk played a key role in rallying younger voters for Trump. With over five million followers on social media and a popular podcast, he had become a leading figure in right-wing media circles.
The shooting has intensified concern about rising political violence in the United States, which has seen a series of attacks on politicians from both parties in recent years.
Kursiv also reports that a school shooting in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 more wounded is being investigated as a hate crime against Catholics.
