Charlie Kirk, a right-wing media commentator and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during a campus engagement at Utah Valley University in the middle of the day, according to officials and video from the site. He was 31 years old.
At the kickoff event of his American Comeback Tour in Orem, Utah, Kirk—founder of the conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA—was stationed at his trademark “Prove Me Wrong” table when a member of the audience raised a question about mass shootings.
During the event, an audience member asked Kirk whether he knew the total number of mass shooters in America over the past decade.
“Are we including gang violence or not?” Kirk responded.
Footage from the event captures the moment a gunshot rang out just seconds later, striking Kirk in what appeared to be the head or neck. Chaos erupted as the surrounding crowd scattered in panic, with witnesses yelling, “Run, run, run!”
For a period after the initial detention, there were conflicting reports from officials. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on social media X that a subject was in custody, while local police officials said the shooter was still at large.
Shortly after that, FBI Director Kash Patel updated on the same platform confirming that the subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. He said that the investigation is continued.
The Utah Vally University said that a single shot was fired just after noon local time when Kirk was speaking to students outdoors.
A shot was fired at around 12:10 p.m. MDT (2:10 p.m. ET), Utah Valley University said in a statement. Police cleared out buildings and led people off campus. Late afternoon, police stated no arrest had been made.
According to early reports, the round was shot from a structure about 200 yards away from the event area. Local police, the FBI, and state public safety are all looking into it.
Trump used Truth Social to say that Kirk had died and told people to lower the U.S. flags in his honor. “Charlie Kirk, the great and even legendary, is dead…” Trump said, “Everyone loved and admired him.”
The White House told all flags to be at half-staff until Sunday, September 14.
Barack Obama, the former president, wrote that “this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy,” and he sent his sympathies to Kirk’s family.
We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 10, 2025
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