Conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University today, around 12:20pm local time. The incident occurred during a Q&A session at a student rally, with eyewitnesses reporting a single gunshot fired from approximately 200 yards away, striking Kirk in the neck.
Videos circulating on social media show Kirk, 31, recoiling in his seat under a tent marked “The American Comeback” as blood poured from his neck, prompting chaos as attendees fled. Kirk was immediately taken to a hospital by his security team. A Turning Point USA spokesperson confirmed he is in critical condition, stating, “It doesn’t look good.”
Utah Valley University initially reported a suspect in custody but later clarified the suspect remains at large. The shot was fired from the Losee Center, a campus building, according to university spokesperson Ellen Treanor. The campus was closed, and classes were canceled for the day as police investigate.
The shooting drew bipartisan condemnation. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” California Governor Gavin Newsom called the attack “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible,” urging rejection of political violence. Vice President JD Vance, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, and former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, a 2011 shooting survivor, also expressed prayers and condemned the act.
Kirk, a prominent pro-Trump activist, co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to promote conservative values on college campuses. The FBI, led by Director Kash Patel, is monitoring the situation, with agents deployed to assist local authorities. The motive remains unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.
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