Charlie Kirk, founder of the Turning Point USA youth organization, was shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University Wednesday.
The incident occurred shortly after noon. Kirk received a single shot. “He was taken from the place for his security staff,” said the university. But he died in a local hospital.
Utah Senator Mike Lee said he is “closely following the situation at Utah Valley University. Please, join me to pray for Charlie Kirk and the students gathered there,” he said on social networks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txS6UXNSHL0
For his part, President Donald Trump published in Truth Social: “The great and even legendary Charlie Kirk has died. No one understood or had the heart of youth in the United States better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by all, especially for me, and now he is no longer with us. Melania and I express our most condolences to his beautiful wife Erika and his family. Charlie, we love you!”
The Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, expressed that he is being informed “after the violence directed against Charlie Kirk” during the visit of the conservative political activist to the campus.
“Those responsible will respond fully. Violence has no place in our public life. Americans of all political trends must join to condemn this act,” he said in X.
Before Kirk’s visit to the University of the Utah Valley, some students initiated an online petition asking the university administration to prevent him from attending.
Born in 1993 in Illinois, Kirk was author, commentator, presenter and leader of the Pro -Trump Conservative Movement. In 2012 he founded the Turning Point USA organization to mobilize students and young people to causes of that cut.
The suspect has already been arrested, according to the director of the FBI, Kash Patel. “The subject of today’s horrible shooting who claimed the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody,” he tweeted. “Thanks to UTAH local and state authorities for their collaboration with the FBI.”
Patel said the agency would provide updates “when possible.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, along with other prominent Democratic leaders, condemned the murder. “Let’s be clear: political violence has no place in the United States. I condemn this act and we must all work together to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.”
For his part, former president Barack Obama declared: “We still do not know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this type of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will pray for Charlie’s family tonight, especially for his wife Erika and her two young children.”
The leader of the Senate minority, Chuck Schumer, said: “Political violence has no place in the United States. This shooting is horrible and I am praying for Charlie Kirk and her family.”
The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, said: “The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile and rebuilt. In the United States, we must reject political violence in all its forms.”
