OREM, UTAH, September 11 — Conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot dead during a public speaking event at Utah Valley University, in what Utah Governor Spencer Cox described as a “political assassination.” Kirk, 31, was answering a question on mass shootings when a rifle shot from over 150 meters struck him in the neck, sending the crowd of about 3,000 fleeing in panic.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death on Truth Social, ordering flags flown at half-staff and calling him “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk,” praising his influence in mobilising America’s youth. Kirk’s killing has drawn bipartisan condemnation, with both Republican and Democratic leaders denouncing political violence. FBI officials confirmed that a person of interest was briefly detained but released, and investigations are ongoing.
Kirk, who rose to prominence as one of Trump’s most influential supporters, built TPUSA into the largest conservative youth organisation in the U.S.and was seen as pivotal in driving young voter turnout for Trump’s re-election. His death adds to a troubling rise in political violence across the country, following a string of assassination attempts and attacks on public officials in recent years.
