Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking to a large crowd at an event at Utah Valley University.
President Trump posted on Truth Social several hours after the shooting, “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, 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!”
Later in the evening, Trump addressed the nation:
The prominent 31-year-old advocate for Christianity and political conservatism leaves behind his wife, Erika, and two young children.
Erika Kirk had posted a Bible verse earlier in the day, declaring, “Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
— Erika Kirk (@MrsErikaKirk) September 10, 2025
Video recorded during the speaking event documented the violence as the gunshot rang out, and Kirk fell to the side after heavy bleeding was immediately visible from a wound near the left side of his neck.
Earlier, officials said a suspect was in custody, but then they confirmed that the man was only arrested for obstruction of justice. Since then, officials have reported that the actual suspect has not been captured.
Utah authorities said the shooter wore dark clothing and fired from a distance, from a rooftop on campus.
“This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. “I want to be very clear, this is a political assassination.”
Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz was at the event. The Republican was visibly shaken as he relayed the account to Fox News on air, saying that he heard the shot and saw Kirk fall over.
The public political assassination left many in the audience in shock and horror.
Click Here for MORE DETAILS on the Tragedy as reported by CBN’s Faithwire:
PHOTO: The crowd reacts after Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, is shot at the Utah Valley University Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)
Earlier, President Trump called for prayers for Kirk, writing on his Truth Social site, “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!”
Prayer posts poured in from other top American leaders, from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to Vice President JD Vance, who posted, “Dear God, protect Charlie in his darkest hour.”
Multiple leaders on the left weighed in, too, condemning the violence. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat whose house was set on fire in an act of antisemitic violence, said, “We must speak with moral clarity. The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying, and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society.”
PHOTO: Allison Hemingway-Witty cries after Charlie Kirk is shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)
As a young 18-year-old activist, Kirk co-founded Turning Point in 2012. When he was just a high school senior, he had been disappointed when he asked national conservative leaders about resources for youth outreach. Turning Point’s strategy centers on conversations with college students, many of whom have never been exposed to the intellectual rigor behind conservative principles.
As Kirk publicly supported Trump over the past decade and took a stand for biblical values like the pro-life cause, his group grew substantially, boasting more than 250,000 student members at the time of his death.
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