Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and close ally of former US President Donald Trump, has died after being shot during a college event in Utah on Wednesday. He was 31.
Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the youth organisation Turning Point USA, was speaking at Utah Valley University when the shooting occurred. Videos posted on social media show him addressing the crowd under a white tent when a single gunshot rang out. Kirk immediately clutched his neck as blood poured from a wound, sparking panic among spectators.
Turning Point USA confirmed Kirk’s death in a note to employees and supporters, writing:
“It’s with a heavy heart that we, the Turning Point USA leadership team, write to notify you that early this afternoon, Charlie went to his eternal reward with Jesus Christ in Heaven.”
President Trump led tributes to Kirk, posting on Truth Social: “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. 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… Charlie, we love you!”
Trump ordered all US flags to be lowered to half-mast until Sunday evening in Kirk’s honour.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said he had spoken to Trump following the tragedy. “Abby and I are heartbroken. We are praying for Charlie’s wife, daughter, and son. Working with the FBI and Utah law enforcement, we will bring to justice the individual responsible for this tragedy,” he wrote on X.
Kirk’s visit to Utah had drawn controversy in recent days. A petition calling for the university to bar him from appearing gained nearly 1,000 signatures, but administrators defended their decision to host the event, citing free speech protections.
The shooting marks another flashpoint in a wave of political violence across the United States. Both Republican and Democratic leaders condemned the attack and expressed condolences to Kirk’s family.
Born in suburban Chicago, Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 at just 18 years old. Though its beginnings were modest, his confrontational style on college campuses and embrace of conservative donors transformed the group into a powerful political force. By 2016, Kirk had become a prominent supporter of Trump, working closely with Donald Trump Jr. and rising to national prominence as a regular voice on cable news.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two young children.
Images: Instagram / Today show
