Charlie Kirk dies at 31 after shooting at Utah debate event
Turning Point USA co-founder killed during campus appearance as tributes pour in from political leaders and public figures
Charlie Kirk, 31, CEO and co-founder of conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. The shooter remains at large, sparking nationwide reaction and calls to end political violence.
Kirk was attending a debate event at the Sorensen Centre courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus on Wednesday, September 10, when he was shot. Eyewitnesses reported chaos breaking out immediately after the incident.
Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was present, told Fox News it appeared to be “a close shot,” adding that the scene left him visibly shaken. He noted that while security was present, police presence at the event was relatively light.
Authorities confirmed that an individual briefly taken into custody has since been released. The suspected shooter remains at large.
Political leaders respond
News of Kirk’s death prompted swift responses from across the political spectrum.
President Donald Trump, who called Kirk “a very, very good friend,” wrote 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, and now, he is no longer with us.”
Trump also ordered flags across the United States to be flown at half-mast until Sunday evening in Kirk’s honor.
Vice President Kamala Harris posted on X that she and her husband were “deeply disturbed” by the shooting, writing: “Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.”
President Joe Biden echoed that message, stressing: “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now.”
Other tributes came from Vice President JD Vance, who wrote a short prayer, and broadcaster Piers Morgan, who described the attack as “an appalling assault on free speech and democracy.”
Remembering Charlie Kirk
Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA in 2012, became one of the most visible conservative commentators in America, frequently appearing at political rallies, college campuses, and on national television. His death has reignited debates over security at political events and the broader rise in threats against public figures.
Law enforcement continues to search for the shooter, while officials at Utah Valley University are reviewing security measures following the incident.
For many, Kirk’s death has raised difficult questions about the safety of political discourse in America.
As the investigation unfolds, his death leaves both supporters and critics reflecting on the increasingly volatile climate surrounding public debate in the U.S.
