Police in Utah have launched an intensive manhunt on Thursday after conservative activist and prominent Trump ally Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on a university campus, an assassination that has sent shockwaves through political circles nationwide. Two individuals who were initially detained in connection with the case have been released after investigators confirmed they had “no current ties” to the shooting, as per BBC. Utah Governor Spencer Cox denounced the killing on Wednesday, describing it as a political assassination.
Kirk, 31, was taking questions on gun violence during a university event when he was fatally shot. A podcast host, radio commentator, and a key ally of Donald Trump, he played a pivotal role in rallying younger voters for Trump’s presidential campaign. The attack took place during a midday event attended by about 3,000 people at Utah Valley University in Orem, roughly 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. Videos from the scene quickly circulated online, capturing the moment gunfire erupted and blood stain could be seen.
Kirk, who co-founded and led the conservative student organization Turning Point USA, was declared dead at a nearby hospital a few hours after the shooting. News of his killing drew swift condemnation across the political spectrum, with leaders from both parties denouncing the act as an attack driven by political violence. Meanwhile, in a video statement, President Trump said he was “filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination,” describing it as a “dark moment for America.”
Reflecting on the incident, Porter LaFerber, a Utah Valley University student who described himself as a “big fan” of Kirk, told BBC he was standing about 50 feet (15 meters) from the stage when the shooting happened. “You don’t really realize what’s happened until it’s happened. Charlie falls off his stool, everyone starts panicking,” he said.
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Another eyewitness, Adam Bartholomew, who was present at Utah Valley University when Kirk was shot, told BBC he had been at the event interviewing counter-protesters who opposed Kirk’s appearance on campus. “I heard a shot and everybody dropped to the floor,” he recalled. “There was confusion and people started scrambling for the exits.” Bartholomew estimated that around 50 to 60 demonstrators were gathered outside the venue. Before the shooting, he said, the mood inside had been “great,” with the crowd chanting “U.S.A.” But in the aftermath, he described a stark shift: “Several people [were] in tears.” He also voiced concern over the lack of precautions at the gathering, saying he was “surprised” there was no visible security. “Nobody stopped me or searched my bag,” he added.
Commenting on the same, Tiana Lao, 20, told BBC, when she and her roommate were was surprised by the security measures given the size of the crowd. “No one was checking bags,” she told, adding “it seemed like a peaceful debate in the beginning.” Lao recalled the panic that erupted once the gunfire rang out, describing how confusion quickly turned into fear. “We didn’t know what was going on, at first we were confused,” she said. “I didn’t even know if someone got shot at that point. Everyone started ducking down, screaming ‘get down’ and telling us to run to the nearest building. Then we realized this was serious. We were both crying – I was shaking uncontrollably.” Students have since been told classes will resume Tuesday, though Lao is unsure if she will return. The university has urged students to stay alert and share any videos to help “catch the killers as soon as possible,” while the FBI has opened a portal for witnesses to submit evidence.
While Phil Lyman, a former Utah state representative, said he joined Kirk on stage before the program began, where the two handed out baseball caps to attendees. Reflecting on the aftereffect on the students, Lyman stated, “3,000 kids basically watched somebody shot right in front of them, it’s really traumatic.”
Tributes have continued to flood in following Kirk’s death. On X, Turning Point UK wrote: “They murdered our boss. Our mentor. Our inspiration. Our friend.” Turning Point Australia also issued a statement of condolence, saying it “owes a great debt” to Kirk. “His legacy will live on in all of us around the world who have been touched by his wisdom and will continue the work that he started,” the group added.
Just hours before the Utah shooting, Kirk had shared what would become his final post on X, which has received around 27.7 million views. In it, the conservative activist urged supporters “to politicize the senseless murder” of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was killed in an unprovoked train attack in North Carolina last month. Her death has fueled a wider debate over rising crime in American cities.
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“If we want things to change, it’s 100% necessary to politicize the senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska because it was politics that allowed a savage monster with 14 priors to be free on the streets to kill her.” Kirk wrote. “I don’t like politicising situations, but it just necessitates it.”
Kirk was among the most prominent conservative voices in the United States and a close confidant of President Trump. Married with two young children, he had recently come back from a speaking tour in South Korea and Japan. Wednesday’s event marked the launch of his 15-stop “American Comeback Tour,” set to take him across college campuses nationwide.
He was known for sparking debate with his outspoken views on race, gender, immigration, and gun laws, frequently encouraged audience members to challenge him directly during campus events. According to multiple videos shared online, the moment he was shot came as the staunch Second Amendment supporter was responding to a question about gun violence.
A few days earlier, Kirk shared his stance on immigration ties with India, he wrote on X, “America does not need more visas for people from India. Perhaps no form of legal immigration has so displaced American workers as those from India. Enough already. We’re full. Let’s finally put our own people first.” He shared it in response to the Fox commentator Laura Ingraham post on X, “don’t forget that any trade deal with India will require us to give them more visas. I’d rather not pay them in visas and trade deficits. Let Modi see what terms he can get from Xi instead.”
Reflecting on Kirk’s stance on visas, Stephen “The Yellow Dart” Schutt wrote on X, “can’t get over the fact that Charlie was calling for the end of H1B very recently I know he said a lot of other things that angered many and who knows the motivation of the shooter But that thought keeps coming back to me that H1B was the hill he was fighting and now dying on…and now it becomes even more important to win on this issue. For Charlie.”