BY: DM
Published 31 seconds ago
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University as part of his “American Comeback Tour.” Witnesses say the gunfire rang out during a Q&A. Cellphone video later showed Kirk collapsing onstage as attendees scrambled for cover. He was rushed to a hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries hours later, according to CBS News.
Local and federal investigators immediately swarmed the area. Law enforcement officials said the bullet that struck Kirk came from a nearby building, and a manhunt was launched for the shooter.
For many conservatives, Kirk’s death felt like a brutal loss of a messenger who had built a nationwide pipeline for right-leaning students. For critics, it was a reminder of the intensity and sometimes poisonous energy of modern political organizing. In the hours after his death, social feeds filled with tributes and recriminations. Here is a look at Kirk’s death, legacy, and the ongoing investigation.
Charlie Kirk death is being heavily investigated.
Local officials say the killing appears to have been a carefully planned sniper attack. According to Reuters, security footage shows an unknown assailant arriving on campus minutes before Kirk’s event. The shooter then ascended a building stairwell, reached the roof, and fired a single fatal shot from above. The Turning Point USA co-founder had just returned from an overseas tour. He was known for hosting fiery campus debates on hot-button issues such as gender and immigration.
Wednesday’s event, billed as “Prove Me Wrong,” was the first stop on Kirk’s fall college tour. Attendees say Kirk had been engaging with the crowd in his typical feisty style when the attack occurred. No other injuries were reported, as the single bullet was apparently aimed solely at Kirk.
Law enforcement at every level has since mobilized to hunt down the shooter. “We are exhausting every lead, we have every officer invested in this, every investigator, every local agency. The outpouring of support for the law enforcement community has been astounding. We are investing everything we have into this, and we will catch this individual,” Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason told CBS News.
Political officials are paying tribute to Charlie Kirk.
President Donald Trump led an outpouring of grief for his fallen ally. The former president announced Kirk’s death in a heartfelt Truth Social post, writing, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead… He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me… Charlie, we love you!” Trump praised Kirk as having the “heart of the youth” and later ordered all American flags flown at half-staff to honor “a truly Great American Patriot,” per Fox News.
The tragedy has also reignited debate over gun violence in America. Many note that Kirk’s slaying symbolizes the constant threat of gunfire in public life. Barack Obama echoed that sentiment in a tweet following Kirk’s death. “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,” Obama tweeted.
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