Tag: Charles James Kirk

Visual Timeline of Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
Charlie Kirk, founder of nonprofit Turning Point USA, speaks before being shot during his visit to Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10, 2025. © Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP
Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was killed by a single gunshot at a crowded event at a Utah college on Sept. 10. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described the act as a “political assassination.”
Authorities announced the arrest of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the suspected assassin, during a press conference on Sept. 12.
Here’s what we know about the shooting and the aftermath so far.
The Assassination
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, in the first campus event of TPUSA’s American Comeback tour.
By noon, an estimated 3,000 students had gathered around his tent, which displayed his challenge to the students “prove me wrong.”
Six university police officers were on duty at the event, along with Kirk’s own private security team, according to authorities.
Kirk began fielding the second question of the day.
“Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” a man in the crowd asked Kirk.
“Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk replied. It was about 12:20 p.m. local time.
One shot was fired. Graphic video footage taken by spectators showed the bullet pierce the left side of Kirk’s neck.
Kirk was quickly surrounded by his security team, carried into an SUV, and taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where initial reports said he was in critical condition.
As the thousands of people ran for cover, video footage caught what appeared to be a person running across the roof of a nearby building.
Kirk’s death was publicly announced by President Donald Trump on Truth Social at 4:40 p.m. ET.
Alleged Assassin Captured After Manhunt
Family members of the suspect assisted authorities after identifying their son as the individual allegedly responsible for killing Kirk.
Robinson was convinced by his father to turn himself in, President Donald Trump said during a Fox News interview on Sept. 12.
“The father convinced the son, this is it … I’m always subject to being corrected … but based on what I’m hearing,” the president said.
“Essentially, somebody who was very close to him” recognized Robinson from security footage, Trump said.
The suspect indicated “or implied” to a family member that he was responsible for the shooting, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said in a Friday press conference. That family member then told a family friend, who contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with the information.
One family member told investigators that Robinson had mentioned Kirk’s appearance at UVU over the dinner table recently, Cox said.
“They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said.
Messages allegedly from Robinson sent on Discord to an unnamed roommate who spoke with investigators described his attempt to recover the rifle that he allegedly hid in the woods after the shooting, Cox said.
The arrest potentially concludes a manhunt conducted by the FBI and the Utah Department of Public Safety that began immediately after Kirk was killed.
Two persons of interest were separately detained and questioned on Sept. 10, but were cleared and later released.
Following the Killer’s Movements
Beau Mason, commissioner of Utah’s Department of Public Safety, confirmed on Sept. 11 that investigators had determined the suspect arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m. local time on Sept. 10. They were then able to track his movements through campus, up stairwells, and onto the roof to the shooting location.
The roof was on a building named the Losee Center, approximately 200 yards from where Kirk was seated.
The suspect fired a single shot at Kirk. No other people were hit.
Afterward, Mason said investigators tracked the suspect moving to the other side of the building, jumping off, and fleeing campus into a neighborhood.
Mason added that the suspect appeared to be college-aged and “blended well in a college institution.”
The FBI later released images of a “person of interest,” depicting a slim male wearing sunglasses, a black, long-sleeved t-shirt with what appeared to be a graphic of the American flag, blue jeans, and a baseball cap.
The FBI released photos, along with a message urging the public to help identify a “person of interest” in relation to the Sept. 10 fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. © FBI
Political Messages Inscribed on Bullet Casings
Cox said that investigators recovered a Mauser .30-06 rifle with four rounds of ammunition—one fired and three unfired.
Bullet casings were inscribed with political messages and other engravings, he said.
The fired casing was allegedly marked, “Notices, bulges, OWO, what’s this?” he said.
One unfired round allegedly read, “Hey fascists! Catch!” It also had a drawn up arrow, a right arrow, and three down arrow symbols.
Another round allegedly read, “O bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,” seemingly referring to an Italian anti-fascist song from WWII.
The last casing was allegedly inscribed with, “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”
In terms of forensics, investigators have a footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints for analysis.
Law enforcement officials, including members of an FBI forensics team, investigate near the crime scene where Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 11, 2025. © Melissa Majchrzak/AFP via Getty Images
Charging Documents Coming Soon
Cox told reporters to expect charging documents “early next week,” as Utah state law allows three days for authorities to gather evidence while a suspect is in custody before filing official charges.
Trump has called for the death penalty, which is permissible in Utah for those convicted of aggravated first-degree murder.
September 12, 2025
Charlie Kirk’s Murder Sends Shockwaves Through Washington and Westminster
Charlie Kirk, a lifelong advocate for free speech, the leader of the nation’s preeminent conservative youth organization, and a beloved confidant of the first family, was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon while speaking with students at Utah Valley University.
President Trump confirmed the news in a post on Truth Social, writing that Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, “was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.” Flags at the White House were lowered to half-staff in his honor. Kirk was 31. He is survived by his wife and two young children.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Wednesday evening that a “subject” had been taken into custody, but has since been released following initial interrogation.
The murder sent ripples of shock, sorrow, and anger through the Trump family, the Republican Party, and the entire conservative movement. A vanguard of a new and brasher kind of conservatism, Kirk rose to prominence with a willingness to discuss and debate any topic with students on any campus. The exchanges regularly went viral online, introducing a new generation to the long-established ideas of the right. Observed Vice President JD Vance, “He would answer any question and talk to everyone.”
Some also observed a cruel irony in the life cut short: Kirk was engaged in debate, not violence, to win over his political opponents when an assassin’s bullet struck him in the neck on Wednesday. According to a spokesman for the university, the shot was fired from a building 200 yards away from where Kirk was speaking outdoors. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.
“I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said at a press conference, noting that the late conservative firebrand was engaged in constitutionally protected speech. “When someone takes the life of someone because of their ideas or their ideals,” the Republican added, “then our constitutional foundation is threatened.”
The FBI had sent federal agents to the scene to assist in the ongoing investigation while the murder reignited a debate about the dangers of overheated rhetoric. The previous presidential campaign was replete with it. Former President Biden dubbed Trump an existential threat to democracy, and though the Democrat condemned violence then, and again after the murder of Kirk, the right accuses the left of stoking the flames of anarchy.
After the first attempt on Trump’s life, Vance drew a direct line from that kind rhetoric to the rifle barrel of the foiled assassin who fired at the president in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July. “Today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” the Ohio senator wrote at the time. “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
Conservatives now see in the Kirk assassination a resurgence of 1960s-style radicalism. “The last time the radical Left orchestrated a wave of violence and terror, J. Edgar Hoover shut it all down within a few years,” Chris Rufo wrote of that FBI director. A conservative activist with close ties to the Trump administration, he added, “It is time, within the confines of the law, to infiltrate, disrupt, arrest, and incarcerate all of those who are responsible for this chaos.”
While Democratic leaders from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were quick to condemn the violence, others on the left seemed to suggest that the attack on Kirk was the product of his own rhetoric. On MSNBC, former Republican strategist Matthew Dowd said of the conservative commentator, he is “constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech, aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.” MSNBC later apologized for the “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable” comments.
Before his death, Kirk was at the zenith of his power. Behind the scenes last summer, along with Donald Trump Jr., he quietly and successfully lobbied Trump to pick Vance as his running mate. He had risen from the ranks of online influencer, famous for “owning the libs,” to the leader of a legitimate MAGA juggernaut. Ahead of the 2024 election, his fans became engaged activists, and Turning Point Action, the political arm of his organization, knocked on hundreds of thousands of doors in support of Republicans.
Kirk was prolific across mediums. He recorded an eponymous, three-hour-long daily radio show, appeared regularly on cable news programs, and authored four books. His most recent title: “Right Wing Revolution: How to Beat the Woke and Save the West.” He also contributed frequent commentary to the op-ed pages of RealClearPolitics.
“America’s Future is a series of choices,” Kirk said on stage during the Milwaukee Republican National Convention. In an address geared towards millennial and Gen Z voters, he bellowed, “Our current state of slow motion, national decline is a choice this November, we’re going to choose success. We’re going to choose to put the future of Americans first. We are going to choose to no longer be spectators in this election. We, together, are going to do the work to save America.”
This reporter covered Kirk aggressively through his rise from campus provocateur to White House powerbroker. He and his staff, at times, quibbled about those stories as all political operatives are wont to do. But Kirk always remained good-natured, and his staff professional. More than one journalist relied on his insights as they attempted to navigate the universe of Donald Trump, a world that Kirk not only knew well but indeed helped shape.
His success inspired rivalries among the Republican establishment and satire in popular culture. The show “South Park” spoofed the rightwing activist, who, in turn, took the lampooning in stride. Kirk remained a pugilist in public after Trump returned to power and continued his tours of college campuses. In private, his influence grew. Kirk personally vetted staff during the White House transition and served as an outside advisor to the president.
“Our hearts are shattered,” wrote White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. “America has lost one of its greatest champions. A loving family has lost the most extraordinary husband and father. All of us must now dedicate ourselves to defeating the evil that stole Charlie from this world.”
September 11, 2025
Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Marks a Turning Point in America
As the nation grapples with the news that conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk was gunned down in cold blood while conducting one of his signature campus debates at Utah Valley University, it is of paramount importance for our political leaders both to recognize the political moment we are in and to try to defuse a potentially combustible situation. While conservatives will be tempted to demonize whoever the deluded shooter turns out to be, and liberals will undoubtedly call for more ineffective gun control legislation, neither reaction can hope to lead to anything productive.
Another tribute is in order to honor the memory of Kirk, who was one of the first to recognize that the radicalization of the left has been driven largely by economic disenfranchisement, a point that often goes unacknowledged by leading intellectual voices on the political right. There is a particular ideological bias that one notices in conservatives above a certain age (let’s say 45) who tend to dominate the positions of leadership in the right-leaning political organizations and think tanks now often referred to as “Conservative, Inc.” This bias is characterized by a certain disdain for the materialism and softness of young people who, having grown up in the wealthiest nation in the world with a prosperity unrivaled in human history, are simply unable to grasp the value of commitment, hard work, and the importance of moral virtue as the path to success in life. Spoiled, coddled, and ignorant of the struggles of previous generations, they feel like they are entitled to a prestigious position in the professional world and a valued social status without having to work to attain it. The problem is, according to this view, the collapse of a strong, coherent moral code and the older understanding that the sequence of success is one that demands self-denial and the deferment of gratification. These damn young people think the world owes them a living.
Kirk was uniquely clear-eyed in seeing this as not only a disastrous political analysis but also as a whitewash of the terrible policy choices that have caused so many Americans, particularly young people, to give up on the American Dream. While it is certainly true that the collapse of traditional Christian morality and the institutions that support it over the last 50 years has significantly eroded the stability of marriage, family, communities, and other mediating institutions that have historically served as bulwarks against tyranny, the Conservative Inc. caricature of Gen Z as rich, lazy, and entitled is hardly a complete—or fair—assessment of the political and social reality we face. The truth is that Gen Z, by a whole variety of measures, faces a much tougher socio-economic reality than any other American generation in memory. The decision to get married and form a family is not only negatively affected by the decline of the Christian ethic, but it is discouraged by an economy and a social structure that is no longer working for young people. The reality is that America, circa 2025, is not conducive to affordable family formation, and Gen Z is well aware of this. Even many of their parents are waking up to the fact that the American Dream of providing the next generation with greater prospects of professional achievement and material wealth than the last seems to be on life support.
The measures are all around us. College admission has become increasingly more competitive, and college itself is less affordable for the average American student. At the same time, the market value of a university degree and the guarantee of a lucrative career track based on that degree have steadily declined. The job market in the U.S. has changed drastically over the last four decades, with mass immigration pushing down wages and the outsourcing of production and labor abroad eliminating opportunities. Since 1981, the median age of homebuyers, the best measure of affordability and an ownership stake in the community, has gone from 31 to 56 today. The median age of first-time homebuyers has gone from 28 to 38 during the same time. Since the 1980s, stock market wealth has become increasingly concentrated among older Americans, and the percentage of young Americans with stock ownership has plummeted since the financial crisis of 2008. The recent public relations campaign of the World Economic Forum, selling the notion to young people in Western societies that “you will own nothing and be happy” because of all the efficiency and ease of a modern technological economy, seems to have been adopted wholesale by the American managerial elite responsible for creating the perverse incentives that have created and handed down a system characterized by degraded prospects of advancement and stability for people at the prime age of forming families.
We are seeing the rise of an entire generation of dispossessed Russian serfs in a rental economy full of technological toys and conveniences that distract them from the fact that they own nothing, and they live in a country where things are visibly degrading, in contrast to the hopeful, upwardly mobile economy of previous American generations. And this is where Conservative Inc. gets it drastically wrong. Our young people may be softer, more addicted to material comfort, and less able to do things for themselves than previous generations. It doesn’t mean they possess real wealth or any ownership stake in society whatsoever. It is largely a product of technological progress and an affluent society, with wealth increasingly concentrated at the top among the ownership elite who reap all the gains of economic growth. At the expense of the hollowed-out middle class.
Kirk argued that the more that the rising generation concludes that the current system is not working for them, the more prone they are to endorse radical, revolutionary, “tear down the system” political solutions that are purely destructive, including socialism and communism. Part of the appeal of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement is this same fundamental perception that the current system is not working and needs to be radically revamped. But unless we Make Family Formation Affordable Again, we are going to lose the political and policy argument, especially if we focus exclusively on moral decline as the root of the problem. It’s not what you would call a winning message to castigate the rising generation of voters as lazy, whiny, entitled brats who deserve their fate.
There can be no better tribute to Kirk—who literally gave his life attempting to reintegrate young people into the American system and to get Republicans to wake up to the dangers of radicalization if they failed to do so—than for President Trump and the GOP Congress to enact a Charlie Kirk Act for Affordable Family Formation. Republicans in Washington need to seize the moment so that some good can come of this horrific incident.
September 11, 2025
Australian Leaders Condemn Assassination of Charlie Kirk
Australia’s politicians have condemned the shocking murder of U.S. conservative author and commentator Charlie Kirk during a university event in Utah.
The 31-year-old was speaking before a crowd of about 3,000 at Utah Valley University as part of his American Comeback Tour when he was shot in the neck. The incident occurred on Sept. 10 local time (Sept. 11 AEST).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the U.S. said a suspect has been taken into custody. Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two children.
Kirk was the founder of the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA. He was widely recognised for his online presence, often appearing on university campuses to debate political issues and promote conservative values.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles
Marles said the incident was “very frightening.”
“Our thoughts go out to Charlie Kirk’s family,” he told Sunrise.
“There’s no place for political violence. This is not how discussion or debate should be within society, and we absolutely condemn it.”
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbot
When in opposition he was known as “Tear-down Tony”. © Getty Images
The former Australian leader said he was praying for Kirk’s wife and children in the wake of the tragic shooting.
“I’m mourning the shocking death of Charlie Kirk,” he said.
“He championed the pursuit of open debate and intellectual freedom in places of education, and did so with great courage.”
One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson
Newspoll has Pauline Hanson’s One Nation on 11 per cent, putting the party ahead of the Greens. © ABC News: Matt Roberts
Senator Hanson described the news as “shocking” and said conservatives worldwide would be disturbed by the killing.
“This is a shocking outcome for a very brave young man who dared to speak the truth,” she said.
Hanson said she was horrified by the idea that speaking out against left-wing ideologies could lead to violence.
“Rest in peace, Charlie. The truth can never be silenced with violence,” she said.
“Your courage will continue to inspire people like myself and other genuine conservatives across the globe.”
Senator James Paterson
Senator James Paterson. © senatorpaterson.com.au
Paterson noted a pattern emerging in political shootings, saying it would be “very distressing” if the act was confirmed as political violence.
The Liberal Senator also noted the attempt on Trump’s life during his election campaign.
“It does seem that there has been an uptick in violence recently,” he said.
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan
Matt Canavan. © mattcanavan.com.au
Canavan said he was devastated by the tragic death of the “young and vibrant” commentator who engaged in debate constructively.
“He debated anyone forcefully but respectfully. He is a template for how we should approach disagreements. We should talk them out,” he said.
Canavan said he was praying for Kirk, his supporters, and the U.S.
“Senseless violence is the opposite of Charlie’s approach,” he said.
“It is wrong and leads to a terrible cycle if not snuffed out.”
September 10, 2025
Witnesses Detail Scene of Charlie Kirk Assassination
Conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10, while speaking in front of a large crowd as part of a campus speaking tour.
Kirk was only a few minutes into his event at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah, when he was struck by gunfire.
The stop at Utah Valley University was to be the opening event in his “American Comeback Tour.”
President Donald Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday afternoon, announced Kirk had died.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote.
“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.
“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!”
Jeremy King and his wife Amy were seated close to Kirk’s pop-up stand and recalled that he had begun to answer his second question from the audience, on the topic of gun rights and gun ownership in the LGBT community.
That’s when Jeremy heard what he thought could have been a firecracker. He initially asked himself, “Is this real?”
“And then, immediately, you know, people are getting into cover, and you know it’s real,” he told The Epoch Times.
Amy, by contrast, said she knew immediately what had happened.
“I just screamed, ‘They just shot him,’” she said.
Jeremy and Amy fled the scene of the shooting, going out the same way as a security team carried Kirk to a black SUV waiting behind his pop-up stand. Jeremy captured a recording of the scene.
“I did keep the video just knowing that this moment needed to be recorded,” he said.
Utah Valley University junior Aspen Brown told KSL that she was standing to the right of Kirk, about 15 feet away from his stand, when she heard a gunshot. Then pandemonium swept over the crowd.
“He was two questions in and then we heard the shot,” she said afterward, still shaken. “People were trying to run out when they heard that.”
Michael Andersen, a professor at UVU, told KSL he was about 50 feet from where Kirk was sitting when he heard what he initially believed was a firework going off.
“Then people started running out of the amphitheater, and I saw some people trying to get up out of the terraces,” Andersen told KSL.
The UVU professor said that, only as he was walking away, someone said they saw the moment Kirk was hit.
Another student at UVU, identified only as Ethan, told Fox 13 that he heard a shot and saw “a wave of blood come out of his chest.” After that, Ethan said he dived to the ground.
Charlie Kirk speaks before he is shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10, 2025. © Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP
“I had a couple of people trample me, actually, so it was pretty horrific,” Ethan said.
Former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who attended Kirk’s event, told Fox News he heard one shot and then saw Kirk fall back.
“As soon as I saw Charlie go back, you realize that it was a shot,” Chaffetz said. “It wasn’t as if there was a whole bunch of gunfire. It was one shot.”
An elderly man was initially taken into custody at the scene. Footage of his detention was shared widely on social media with the implication that he was the suspected shooter. However, he was later released by police.
FBI Director Kash Patel subsequently announced that another subject had been taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
September 10, 2025
Political Leaders Across Parties Condemn Killing of Charlie Kirk
WASHINGTON—Political leaders across the United States condemned the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was killed at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
Kirk, founder of conservative youth group Turning Point USA (TPUSA) and a frequent speaker at university campuses, was shot in the neck while speaking outdoors to a crowd of university students. He was rushed off the stage to a hospital by police and his personal security, where he later died of his injuries.
Kirk’s death was confirmed by a statement from his organization. “Charles James Kirk has been murdered by gunshot,” wrote TPUSA in a statement. “May he be received into the loving arms of our Savior, who suffered and died for Charlie,” they added, referring to Jesus Christ and Kirk’s Christian faith, which he publicly professed.
Shortly after the news of his shooting, and later of his death, high-ranking politicians and commentators from both political parties issued expressions of condolence and condemnations of the incident, as well as of political violence in general.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” announced President Donald Trump on social media. “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. 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!” he added. Trump himself survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 election.
Vice President JD Vance wrote in response to Trump’s statement: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.”
US Presidents, British PMs, Netanyahu Issue Statements
All living former U.S. presidents, as well as several foreign leaders, chimed in to offer their condolences and condemnation.
“I’m saddened and angered by Charlie Kirk’s murder,” wrote former President Bill Clinton. “I hope we all go through some serious introspection and redouble our efforts to engage in debate passionately, yet peacefully.
“Hillary and I are keeping Erika, their two young children, and their family in our prayers,” wrote the 42nd U.S. President, who was in office at the time of Kirk’s birth on Oct. 14, 1993.
“Today, a young man was murdered in cold blood while expressing his political views. It happened on a college campus, where the open exchange of opposing ideas should be sacrosanct,” wrote former President George W. Bush in a statement released by The Bush Presidential Center.
“Members of other political parties are not our enemies; they are our fellow citizens. May God bless Charlie Kirk and his family, and may God guide America toward civility,” Bush said.
“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,” wrote former President Barack Obama on social media platform Threads.
Former President Joe Biden wrote on X: “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X that Kirk “was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom.”
“A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization.
“I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel,” Netanyahu added. “Sadly, that visit will not take place. We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact. Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk.”
At least two UK Prime Ministers also publicly commented on the murder.
“My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk. It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband,” wrote incumbent Prime Minister Keir Starmer on X. “We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear—there can be no justification for political violence.”
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on X: “The murder of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy, and a sign of the utter desperation and cowardice of those who could not defeat him in argument.
“He has been killed for saying things that used to be simple common sense,” Johnson said. “He has been killed because he had the courage to stand up publicly for reasonable opinions held by millions and millions of ordinary people both in the US and Britain. The world has a shining new martyr to free speech. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.”
US Officials Condemn Killing
The leaders’ tributes and condemnation of the attack were among hundreds of messages, including from members of Congress and administration officials.
“We ask everyone to pray for him and his family,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) at the U.S. Capitol, shortly before leading the U.S. House of Representatives in a moment of silence. “This is detestable what’s happened. Political violence has become all too common in American society, and this is not who we are. It violates the core principles of our country.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, center, is seen during a news conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. © Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty Images
“There is no place in our country for political violence. Period, full stop. Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk,” wrote Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
“Rest in Peace, Charlie Kirk. Casey and I are praying for his family. Charlie was a warrior for liberty, and his murder is a tragedy for our nation,” wrote Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.).
“Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era,” wrote Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., whose father—Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-N.Y.)—was assassinated in 1968, and whose uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963.
Democrats Denounce Political and Gun Violence
Many Democrats and progressive political commentators also expressed dismay.
“The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form,” wrote California Gov. Gavin Newsom on X. Newsom made headlines earlier this year when he invited Kirk to be the inaugural guest on his podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom,” where they discussed political differences between Democrats and Republicans.
“The scourge of gun violence and political violence must end. The shooting of Charlie Kirk is the latest incident of this chaos and it must stop. We cannot go down this road,” wrote U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on X.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a news conference in Downey, Calif., on July 16, 2025. © Patrick T. Fallon/AFP
Former House Speaker and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whose husband Paul was attacked in their San Francisco home in 2022, wrote on X: “The horrific shooting today at Utah Valley University is reprehensible. Political violence has absolutely no place in our nation.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on X that she was “deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah.”
“Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence,” she said.
New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria), the Democratic nominee and current polling leader in the 2025 New York City mayoral election, wrote on X: “I’m horrified by the shooting of Charlie Kirk at a college event in Utah. Political violence has no place in our country.”
Mehdi Hasan, a British-American progressive commentator who has often criticized Kirk’s positions on various issues, wrote on X: “Horrific news out of Utah … Political violence, and gun violence, is never acceptable, excusable, or justifiable.”
Even before the news of his death, many well-wishers expressed the gravity of the situation, noting that the shot hit a vulnerable part of Kirk’s body.
“The shot looked real bad, but I sure hope Charlie makes it somehow,” wrote Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who is also the executive chairman of X.
September 10, 2025
University Shooting Leaves Conservative Commentator Charlie Kirk Dead at 31
Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk has died at age 31 after being shot at a speaking event at Utah Valley University, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL.”

“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gun shot that took place during Turning Point USA’s ‘The American Comeback Tour’ campus event at Utah Valley University on September 10th, 2025,” a statement from Turning Point USA provided to the Daily Caller said. “May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior who suffered and died for Charlie. We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers. We ask that you please respect their privacy and dignity in this time.”
Turning Point USA also sent an email to staff informing them of Kirk’s death, according to communications reviewed by the Caller.
“It is with a heavy heart that we, the Turning Point USA leadership team, write to notify you that earlier this afternoon Charlie went to his eternal reward with Jesus Christ in Heaven,” part of the email reads.
A gunshot rang out while Kirk was talking to students for an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. A spokesperson with the university told the Caller that Kirk was shot from a building about 200 yards away. Security was seen on video carrying Kirk’s body away from the scene.
Kirk was rushed to the hospital after being shot and was in critical condition before he eventually passed away, Turning Point USA said in official statements and sources close to Kirk’s team told the Caller.
A local college student who was at the event told the Caller that Kirk was answering a question about religion when “all of a sudden, out of nowhere, there was this loud bang, just one shot, bang. And I saw him hit in the neck, and I saw red gushing blood out of it.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel said Wednesday evening that authorities first apprehended, then released a “subject” in connection with the case.
The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 10, 2025
A spokesperson for Utah Valley University originally claimed a suspect was in police custody, but The New York Times later reported that the individual detained was not the shooter.
“UVU is leading the investigation with support from Orem Police Department and other local federal, and state agencies. There is still a suspect at large,” a statement from the City of Orem, where Utah Valley University is located, said. “There is no call to shelter in place at this time. If you see something suspicious, please report it to police dispatch by calling 911 or the non-emergency number 801-229-7070”
Kirk was a prominent member of the conservative movement, leading the influential youth organizations Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action.
The founder and CEO of Turning Point was best known for touring universities and speaking about conservative principles, and in some cases, debating students with opposing values.
Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a 501(c)(3) group, in 2012. Its focus was on empowering conservative students to run for student government positions and mobilizing them to support conservative values on campus and beyond.
Turning Point Action, a 501(c)(4), was created in 2019 to serve as a grassroots activist organization. Turning Point Action helped support President Donald Trump in his 2024 re-election campaign.
Turning Point USA regularly holds conservative youth conferences with thousands of attendees, including America Fest, the Young Women’s Leadership Summit and the Student Action Summit.
Through his relentless activism, Kirk became a close ally of President Donald Trump and members of his administration.
Kirk was listed on the 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Law & Policy and was given an honorary doctorate degree from Liberty University.
Kirk married his wife, Erika, in 2021. The couple has two children, a three-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son.
September 10, 2025
Trump Vows to Hunt Down All Behind Charlie Kirk Assassination
Speaking from the Oval Office Wednesday night, President Donald Trump vowed that his administration will “catch each and every one of those who contributed” to the assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, as well as any left-wing organizations that have funded and supported political violence.
“This is a dark moment for America,” the president said. “Charlie Kirk traveled the nation joyfully engaging with everyone interested in good faith debate. His mission was to bring young people into the political process, which he did better than anybody ever, to share his love of country and to spread the simple words of common sense. On campuses nationwide, he championed his ideas with courage, logic, humor and grace.”
It’s long past time for all Americans in the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequences of demonizing those with whom you disagree. Day after day, year after year in the most hateful and despicable way possible. For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.
And it must stop right now.
My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it, as well as those who go after our judges, law enforcement officials, and everyone else who brings order to our country.
From the attack on my life in Butler, Pennsylvania, last year—which killed a husband and father—to the attacks on ICE agents, to the vicious murder of a healthcare executive in the streets of New York, to the shooting of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and three others, radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives.
The president beckoned all Americans to “commit themselves to the American values for which Charlie lived and died: the values of free speech, citizenship, the rule of law, and the patriotic devotion and love of God.”
“Charlie was the best of America and the monster who attacked him was attacking out whole country,” Trump added.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump ordered flags on public buildings to be flown at half staff Sunday evening, in honor of Kirk.
As a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, September 14, 2025.
I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.
September 10, 2025