The 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University.
What We Know
Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, 31, was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University at approximately 12:10 p.m. MT on Sept. 10.Only one shot was fired.
The university said the shooter fired from the Losee Center building, roughly 200 yards from Kirk. The shooter wore dark clothing, authorities said.
Kirk was immediately taken to the hospital where he was initially reported to be in critical condition.
The FBI arrested, then later released, a person of interest.
Utah Valley University was evacuated, classes were canceled, and police locked down the campus.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described the act as a “political assassination.”
By T.J. Muscaro
Subject Taken Into Custody Has Been Released: FBI Director
FBI Director Kash Patel on Wednesday announced that the second person taken into custody in relation to the assassination of Charlie Kirk has been released.
“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,” Patel wrote in a post on X.
Initially, an elderly man was detained in relation to the murder. However, he was also released by police following questioning.
The Salt Lake City branch of the FBI established a tip line seeking information about the shooting. Officials currently believe that only one person was involved in the assassination.
Low-quality security camera footage from the campus shows that the perpetrator wore all dark clothing and likely fired from a rooftop, officials said.
Prayer Vigil for Kirk Held Near Capitol Hill
As vigils were held around the country following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, a vigil and prayer service was held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Washington on the evening of Sept. 10. The church in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood is popular with congressional staff and employees of The Heritage Foundation, which is located down the street.
The prayer service began with a reading from the gospel of Matthew, a book of the Bible’s New Testament, quoting from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount.
After a homily, the congregation recited the Lord’s Prayer and the Nicene Creed before a final blessing.
The church was surrounded by officers of the U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police.
By Arjun Singh
6 Officers on Duty at Event Attended by 3,000
According to officials, six university police officers were on duty during the campus event in which political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated, and more than 3,000 people were in attendance.
During a Wednesday evening press conference, Utah Valley University Police Chief Jeff Long described the event location as “kind of a bowl area here on the central campus.”
The area’s layout meant that Kirk, who was sitting under a tent and taking questions from the audience when he was shot, was “kind of in a lower area surrounded by buildings,” Long said.
During the same press conference, Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said that authorities believe the bullet that killed Kirk was a “longer distance shot” which was “potentially [shot] from a roof.”
Long added that the campus police department “had some plain clothes police officers that were in the crowd as well.”
According to Long, security for the event was handled by a mixed team of campus police officers and Kirk’s own private security.
“We did have officers there. We had Charlie Kirk’s team. He has a security team that travels with him, and they were here with him when he was shot,” Long said.
“You think you have things covered, and these things, unfortunately, they happen. You try to get your bases covered. And unfortunately, today, we didn’t, and because of that, we had this tragic incident.”
By Joseph Lord
Shooter Wore Dark Clothing, Shot From Roof: Authorities
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and other authorities shared information on the suspected shooter during a press conference several hours after the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The governor also said that a “person of interest” was in custody and being interviewed.
The available information on the suspect was taken from the campus’s security camera footage, which is closed circuit TV. Although the footage is still being analyzed, authorities said that the suspected shooter was dressed in all dark clothing, and the shot was potentially “a longer distance shot from a roof.”
Authorities said there was no information that led them to believe a second person was involved. The investigation is ongoing.
“We are actively looking for anyone and everyone who has any, any possible information relating to the shooter,” Cox said.
By T.J. Muscaro
Utah Gov. Cox: ‘This Is a Political Assassination’
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox told members of the press that the death of Charlie Kirk was a political assassination.
“This is a dark day for our state,” he said. “It’s a tragic day for our nation. I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.”
Cox said the United States will soon be celebrating 250 years since the Declaration of Independence declared “that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights.”
“The first one of those is life, and today a life was taken,” he said.
“When someone takes the life of a person because of their ideas or their ideals, then that very constitutional foundation is threatened,” Cox said.
“Now we have a person of interest in custody. The investigation is ongoing, but I want to make it crystal clear right now to whoever did this, we will find you, we will try you and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law.”
Cox noted that Utah still has the death penalty.
By T.J. Muscaro
Turning Point USA Releases Statement on Charlie Kirk
Turning Point USA released an official statement on X confirming the death of its founder Charlie Kirk just over two hours after Kirk was assassinated.
“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gunshot that took place during Turning Point USA’s ‘The American Comeback Tour’ Campus event at Utah Valley University,” the statement read.
“May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior, who suffered and died for Charlie,” it added.
Turning Point USA asked everyone to keep Kirk’s family and his loved ones in their prayers and to respect their privacy and dignity.
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) September 10, 2025
By T.J. Muscaro
Witnesses Recount Scene of Charlie Kirk Assassination
Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10, while speaking in front of a large crowd as part of a campus speaking tour.
Kirk had just started taking audience questions at 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.”
By Ryan Morgan
Charlie Kirk, Conservative Commentator, Assassinated at 31
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at the age of 31 while speaking to a crowd of students at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday.
The founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk was known for his fiery brand of conservative political advocacy that mobilized young voters across the nation in recent elections.
He was struck in the neck in broad daylight by a shooter while performing on stage at his “American Comeback” tour.
Charles James Kirk was born Oct. 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Raised by a mother who specialized in mental health counseling and an architect father, Kirk excelled in academics as a young child.
He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout while displaying leadership skills that would later propel him into the political arena.
Kirk’s first foray into politics was as a volunteer for a U.S. Senate campaign while attending high school.
He later found the media limelight after protesting what he described as a progressive bias in school textbooks.
Kirk’s trajectory continued to climb, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently interviewed him for his new podcast’s first episode.
President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post called Kirk’s death a “tragic loss for the conservative movement.”
This story will be updated with additional details.
Trump Orders Flags Flown at Half Staff to Honor Charlie Kirk
President Donald Trump has ordered flags to be flown at half staff for the rest of the week in honor of Charlie Kirk.
“In honor of Charlie Kirk, a truly Great American Patriot, I am ordering all American Flags throughout the United States lowered to Half Mast until Sunday evening at 6 P.M.,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
By T.J. Muscaro
Utah Mayor Urges People to Report Anything Suspicious Manhunt Continues
As the perpetrator in Charlie Kirk’s death remains at large, Mayor David Young of Orem, Utah, urged people to report anything suspicious as state and federal law enforcement agencies worked together to investigate the case.
That joint effort includes police from Orem and Utah Valley University, where Kirk was assassinated on the afternoon of Sept. 10.
Authorities told those at Utah Valley University to “secure in place,” and closed the campus and canceled classes. The school’s emergency information page instructed those still on campus to call officials for an escort out.
By T.J. Muscaro
Tributes Pour In for Charlie Kirk
Scores of national leaders and international leaders issued tributes to the life of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk after he was assassinated in Utah on Sept. 10.
Kirk was killed by a gunshot wound to the neck while speaking to students at Utah Valley University during an outdoor event. President Donald Trump issued a statement announcing that Kirk had died.
“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!” Trump wrote on social media.
“Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,” Vice President JD Vance wrote in response to Trump’s statement.
“This is detestable, what’s happened,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), told reporters on Capitol Hill. “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, our Judeo-Christian heritage, our civil society, our American way of life and it must stop.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X, “Praying for @charliekirk11,” referring to Kirk’s username. Kirk was an active user of social media and frequently used his X account to issue political statements.
“Rest in peace Charlie Kirk. The mark you have made on the world will forever be a blessing and memory. We pray for your eternal rest with our Lord. May God bless your family always and be with your children and wife Erika,” wrote Meghan McCain, a television host and the daughter of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Utah Governor Promises Justice for Charlie Kirk
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced that his state will work with the federal government to bring Charlie Kirk’s assassin to justice.
“I just got off the phone with President Trump,” Cox wrote on X. “Working with the FBI and Utah law enforcement, we will bring to justice the individual responsible for this tragedy.”
“Abby and I are heartbroken,” he added. “We are praying for Charlie’s wife, daughter, and son.”
The shooter remains at large.
By T.J. Muscaro
Trump Confirms Charlie Kirk Has Died
President Donald Trump announced that Charlie Kirk died after being shot during an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump announced 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!”
By T.J. Muscaro
Utah Valley University Closed, Classes Canceled, Campus on Lockdown
Utah Valley University, where Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Sept. 10, has been closed indefinitely with all classes canceled, the university wrote in an emergency alert. The campus has also been placed on lockdown.
“Those on campus, secure in place until police officers can escort you safely off campus. Police are currently going building to building escorting people off campus. Roads to campus are currently closed,” read the emergency alert issued by Josh Berndt, a university spokesperson.
Police are attempting to locate the shooter, who remains at large.
By Arjun Singh
Shooter Still at Large, Authorities Say
The suspect in the assassination attempt on Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University is currently still at large, authorities said.
Kirk was speaking to a large crowd of university students outdoors when he was shot. The gunfire prompted the crowd to disperse, leading to a mass exodus from the venue.
An elderly man was initially taken into custody at the scene of the shooting, and 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.
By Arjun Singh
Bipartisan Political Leaders Condemn Shooting of Charlie Kirk
WASHINGTON — Political leaders across the United States condemned the shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, which occurred at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
Kirk, founder of conservative youth group Turning Point USA and a frequent speaker at university campuses, was shot while speaking to an outdoor crowd of university students. Video footage of the incident posted on social media appears to show him being shot in the neck, with his condition being unknown at the time of writing.
Shortly after the news broke, high-ranking politicians and commentators from both political parties issued expressions of condolence and called for prayers that Kirk might survive the incident.
Charlie Kirk Shot at Utah Event
Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University.
Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was shot during an event in Utah on Sept. 10.
A single shot was fired at Kirk, 31, at approximately 12:10 p.m., while he was speaking at Utah Valley University, the university said on X. “He was hit and taken from the location by his security,” the school said.
Today at about 12:10 a shot was fired at the visiting speaker, Charlie Kirk. He was hit and taken from the location by his security. Campus police is investigating, a suspect is in custody.
— UVU (@UVU) September 10, 2025
University police are investigating and have taken a suspect in custody.
A spokeswoman for Turning Point USA confirmed that Kirk was shot and taken to a hospital.
The condition of Kirk, the founder and president of the national student group, is not immediately clear.
“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot,” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father,” Vice President JD Vance said.
Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 10, 2025
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who interviewed Kirk earlier this year, called the attack on Kirk “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible.”
The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 10, 2025
Turning Point had said earlier Wednesday that Kirk was appearing at Utah Valley, a public university located about 41 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, in the first stop of a new tour that was scheduled to include 15 stops.
Kirk often travels to colleges to speak to students, sometimes setting up a “prove me wrong” table where he debates students. That table was slated to be part of the Utah appearance.
Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said on Fox News that he heard a shot and saw it knock Kirk backwards. “It seemed like it was a close shot,” Chaffetz said.
FBI Director Kash Patel said separately that FBI agents will be on the scene soon.
We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 10, 2025
Kirk is an ally of the administration, regularly visiting the White House and promoting Trump administration initiatives on social media and during television and podcast appearances.
A petition circling online attributed to Utah Valley University students had called for the school to reevaluate its decision to let Kirk appear on campus, alleging that he was “known for his divisive rhetoric that often supports policies and laws which aren’t inclusive and can marginalize various communities.”
The school on Sept. 3 said it was committed to free speech and “respects the rights of student clubs and organizations to invite various speakers to campus.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This is a breaking story that will be updated.
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