Tyler Robinson had scored in the top percentile on his college entrance exam and earned himself a four-year scholarship to Utah State University in Logan.

Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and close ally of Donald Trump, was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

Erika Kirka also shared a story about their three-year-old daughter, when she ran into her arms the night before.

"'Where's daddy?'" her daughter asked her.

"What do you tell a three-year-old?" Ms Kirk asked.

"'Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don't you worry. He's on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry budget," she told her daughter.

Erika and Charlie Kirk got married in 2021 and share a daughter and a one-year-old son.

Erika Kirk also thanked Donald Trump, saying that her husband loved the president, and vowed to keep her husband's work alive, continuing his campus tour, radio show and podcast.

"You supported him so well, as did he for you," she told Mr Trump.

Erica Kirk thanked the law enforcement officials "who worked tirelessly to capture my husband's assassin." 

She also sent a message to "the evildoers responsible for my husband's assassination" without naming Tyler Robinson, who is in custody for killing the 31-year-old activist.

"You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry," she said.

Charlie Kirk's wife, Erika Kirk, on Friday delivered her first public remarks since the right-wing activist was assassinated on Wednesday, vowing she "won't let his legacy die".

Speaking from the office where her husband hosted his podcast, she said he loved America, nature and the Chicago Cubs.

"But most of all, Charlie loved his children, and he loved me with all of his heart," she said in her tearful address.

Robinson is believed to have acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said. He was arrested on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offenses.

The man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk was being held Friday at the Utah County jail. Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of justice charges, according to a court affidavit. A judge ordered that he be held without bail. Formal charges are expected early next week.

Robinson had become "more political" recently and had indicated to a family friend afterwards that he was responsible, said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. The governor also cited as key pieces of evidence engravings on bullets found in a rifle believed to have been used in the attack, as well as chatting app messages that a roommate shared with law enforcement after the shooting.

(AP)

In a latest string of attacks on US politicians, conservative and staunch Trump ally Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck during a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

US Vice President JD Vance on Friday expressed his gratitude to the Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox and FBI Director Kash Patel for the breakthrough on the killing of Republican activist Charlie Kirk.

Vance believed that they have the shooter in custody.

In a post on X, he said, "I am grateful to Governor Spencer Cox, Utah law enforcement, Kash Patel, and the FBI for giving this case the time, resources, and hard work it deserved. This is a big breakthrough, and everyone who helped--from the law enforcement professionals to the people giving tips--deserves our credit and gratitude."

(ANI)

Cox said a family member of Robinson's reached out to a friend, who contacted authorities with information that Robinson had confessed or implied that he carried out the shooting. "I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing," he said.

The governor would not say if Robinson is cooperating with the investigation.

Robinson's family said he had become "more political in recent years" and had criticized Kirk, mentioning that he was due to appear at an upcoming event in Utah and saying "Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate," Cox said.

He also said bullet casings found at the crime scene were engraved with messages. One read "hey fascist. catch," another that read "if you read this you are gay LMAO," and a third referenced "Bella Ciao," a classic Italian song popular with the political left.

(AP)

Anti-fascist slogans were inscribed on two of the unused bullet casings found after the fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, US authorities said Friday.

One cartridge had written on it, "Hey, fascist! Catch!", and another featured "Bella ciao," apparently a reference to a World War II-era Italian anti-fascist song, said Utah Governor Spencer Cox.

(AFP)

The suspect in custody in connection with the assassination of Charlie Kirk is a 22-year-old from Utah, authorities said Friday.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox identified the man as Tyler Robinson. Cox was joined by FBI Director Kash Patel and other officials at a news conference announcing the arrest.

President Donald Trump announced earlier Friday "with a high degree of certainty" that the suspect in Kirk's killing has been caught.

(AP)

After a three-manhunt, the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been captured, US authorities said on Friday.

Cox says family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who then gave the information to a Sheriff that Robinson had confessed to the crime or implied that he had committed the shooting.

The suspect in custody in connection with the assassination of Charlie Kirk is a 22-year-old from Utah, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Authorities have identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

President Donald Trump said Friday "with a high degree of certainty" that the suspect in Kirk's killing has been caught.

(AP)

Suspect in custody in connection with Charlie Kirk shooting is a 22-year-old from Utah

(AP)

US President Donald Trump today said that a suspect accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been taken into custody, adding that the arrest came after "somebody very close to him turned him in."

Trump said that he did not want to remember Charlie Kirk that way. He also paid tribute to him saying he was "like a son" to him.

"Kirk was the finest person and he didn't deserve this" he told Fox News.

Trump told Fox News that "someone very close" to the suspect turned him in. He also said the suspect is aged 28 or 29.

Trump says 'with a high degree of certainty' that suspect in Charlie Kirk killing has been caught

(AP)

Fox News host Jesse Watters said Wednesday the killing showed his side of the political spectrum was under attack.

"Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. And what are we going to do about it?" he asked his audience.

Trump urged supporters to respond peacefully, telling reporters that Kirk had been "an advocate of nonviolence."

"That's the way I'd like to see people respond," he said.

(AFP)

A palm print. A shoe impression. And a high-powered rifle found in a wooded area. Those are among the clues authorities laid out as they pleaded for the public's help to find the person who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk before dropping from a Utah university campus roof and vanishing.

The search continued early Friday, nearly two days later.

Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.

More than 7,000 leads and tips have poured in, officials said. But authorities have yet to name a suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.

(AP)

Members on both sides of the aisle have expressed heightened security concerns following the shooting, amid growing fears over political violence.

"We're in a deliberate review process right now to determine what measures are appropriate, how much we could allocate for that," Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters on Thursday. "We've got to protect people who run for public office or no one will, and that's heavy on our hearts and minds."

With less than three weeks before a potential government shutdown, some lawmakers said Thursday that member security should be included in the spending debate.

(ANI)

Kirk's casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. 

Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk's funeral. Details have not been announced.

(AP)

Kirk was an ardent supporter of Second Amendment rights and had long argued that an armed populace makes everyone safer. Utah is one of 14 states that allow some level of concealed carry of firearms on public college and university campuses. 

In May, a law took effect allowing anyone 18 and older with a valid Utah concealed weapon permit to carry a weapon on campus.

(AP)

The direct appeals for public support, including new and enhanced photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses, a long-sleeve black shirt and a backpack, appeared to signal law enforcement's continued struggles. Two people who were taken into custody shortly after the shooting were determined not to be connected.

Other clues included a Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle found in a towel in the woods. A spent cartridge was recovered from the chamber, and three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. The weapon and ammunition were being analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab.

Officials are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Cox said he's prepared to seek the death penalty.

The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.

(AP)

A young woman cries during a candlelight vigil for youth activist and influencer Charlie Kirk at a makeshift memorial at Orem City Center Park in Orem, Utah, a day after he was shot during a public event at Utah Valley.

(AFP)

As the manhunt for the killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk stretched into Thursday evening, his death ignited a wave of fury on the far right, where some Trump supporters cast the murder as a political flashpoint and threat to conservative power amid a broader reckoning over rising violence.

Some supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump blamed the political left, casting Kirk's murder as the culmination of years of hostility toward Trump's Make America Great Again movement. On social media, they pointed to posts that appeared to celebrate Kirk's death as evidence of conservatives increasingly being targeted. 

"They couldn't beat him in a debate, so they assassinated him," Isabella Maria DeLuca, a pardoned January 6 rioter and conservative activist, wrote on X. 

(Reuters)

For university student Dave Sanchez, seeing Trump acolyte Charlie Kirk murdered during a campus event was like watching his own brother get shot. 

"It still makes me sick to my stomach," said Sanchez, who returned to campus on Thursday to mourn the Republican superstar who was gunned down while addressing a large crowd of students.

"We watch him all the time and so it really does feel like one of your own family members, your own brother's been killed," said Sanchez, an accounting student whose father came to the United States from Peru.

The 26-year-old became captivated by Kirk's social media videos and admired his "dedication to faith, family and freedom."

"He did change the political climate on campuses, leading young people to look at conservatism in a different way," said Sanchez, who voted for Donald Trump in both 2020 and 2024 and was sporting a red "Make America Great Again" cap.

(Reuters)

The campus of Utah Valley University was mostly deserted and silent on Thursday, a stark contrast with the scenes of panic and disbelief that erupted 24 hours earlier when a sniper killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk in front of 3,000 young people gathered to hear him speak.

“It’s eerie, tense, quiet,” said McKinley Shinkle, a 25-year-old electrical engineering student when asked to describe how it felt on campus, which was ordered closed for the rest of the week. 

The single shot that struck Kirk rang out soon after the charismatic ally of President Donald Trump began taking questions from the audience at one of his signature outreach events, where he challenges students to debate contentious issues on topics including gun control and race. 

(Reuters)

The governor of Utah struggled to find the right words to describe the question so many have been asking: What is happening in America?

The silence lasted nearly 10 seconds. He looked down. He opened and closed his mouth.

"Our nation is broken," Spencer Cox finally said, hours after the public killing of Charlie Kirk. The governor described violent attacks on both Democrats and Republicans, including the killing of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump and the firebombing of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's official residence.

His words stood out not just for the stark language about America's troubles, but for his sober acknowledgement that the violence reaches across the political divide.

(AP)

Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday released a series of photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was hit as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.

More than 7,000 leads and tips have poured in, officials said. But authorities have yet to name a suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.

"We cannot do our job without the public's help," Gov. Spencer Cox said during a Thursday evening news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel, who did not speak.

The direct appeals for public support, including new and enhanced photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses, a long-sleeve black shirt and a backpack, appeared to signal law enforcement's continued struggles. Two people who were taken into custody shortly after the shooting were determined not to be connected.

(AP)

Authorities said the killer used a high-powered, bolt-action rifle, firing from the roof of a building some 200 yards (185 meters) away from his target. They said the killer was lying prone, a position that can increase accuracy.

Pictures and video taken from security cameras and released by the FBI showed a young man wearing a baseball cap and dark clothing. That included a top with a design featuring an American flag and what appeared to be an eagle.

Officials said Thursday that the shooter was wearing Converse-style tennis shoes with a white sole.

They found palm prints from where he climbed down from the building to begin his getaway. They also found his rifle -- a Mauser 30-06 caliber -- discarded in an area of trees near a carpark.

(AFP)

The vast manhunt for the shooter who killed right-wing activist Charlie Kirk stretched into a third day on Friday, after police released fresh images in an effort to crack a case that has raised tensions in the United States.

The gunman fired a single, fatal shot into Kirk -- a 31-year-old who rallied youth support for President Donald Trump -- during an appearance at a Utah university on Wednesday. 

(AFP)

Graphic videos that swept across social media of Charlie Kirk's shooting made the activist's death an indelible moment, forcing young Americans to confront the public killing of a prominent political leader not much older than themselves. 

Kirk, 31, co-founder of the conservative political advocacy group Turning Point USA and a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, was shot at long range during a campus event in Orem, Utah on Wednesday. The suspect remains at large, and the motive for the killing is unknown.

Young conservatives mourned one of their own, a figure who was a constant, reaffirming presence on social media and television. And some young liberals who spoke to Reuters on Thursday also expressed regret at witnessing Kirk become a victim of gun violence.

(Reuters)

The assassination of Charlie Kirk offers the latest example of how ordinary security measures can be defeated in an era of escalating political violence, when anyone associated with the political process is a potential target, including influencers.

Kirk was in a familiar setting Wednesday before a large crowd at a university in Utah, a red state where voting trends largely aligned with his pro-MAGA politics. The conservative firebrand appeared with his own security team, as he has at events on other campuses.

In hindsight, those with experience protecting high-profile officials and dignitaries say more could have been done to prevent the shooting.

(AP)

A member of the US Secret Service has been placed on administrative leave for allegedly mocking the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on social media and referring to it as "karma."

Anthony Pough reportedly shared a post on Facebook shortly after Kirk was fatally shot at an event on the Utah Valley University campus. Pough claimed in the post that Kirk "spewed hate and racism" and that "you can only circumvent karma, she doesn't leave." He also urged those mourning Kirk's death to keep their distance from the MAGA influencer.

"If you are mourning this guy .. delete me," Pough posted on Facebook on Thursday, adding, "He spewed hate and racism on his show," RealClearPolitics first reported.

Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was shot dead, will be honoured with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour, posthumously, US President Donald Trump announced at the Pentagon on Thursday.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honour in the US. It is awarded by the President to recognise a lifetime of exceptional contributions in the arts, public service, science, or other fields, according to Congress.Gov.

The medal was first established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 as the Medal of Freedom. Later, in 1963, President John F. Kennedy renamed it the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

It features a white star on a red pentagon, surrounded by five gold eagles. At the centre of the star is a blue circle with 13 gold stars, representing the original 13 US states. 

US Vice President JD Vance carried the casket of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, along with other pallbearers, on the airport tarmac. They walked with the coffin towards Air Force Two. Kirk's body was transported from Utah to Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday.

Air Force Two, typically reserved for official vice presidential travel, was arranged to fly Kirk's remains to Arizona, where funeral services are scheduled to be held. 

The US State Department on Thursday threatened to strip visas over online support for the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, encouraging internet users to flag foreigners' posts.

"In light of yesterday's horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country," Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X.

"I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action," he wrote, without naming specific posts.

People across the US have been attending vigils in memory of Charlie Kirk.

With a fire hose of misinformation surrounding the assassination of US right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, social media users have turned to AI chatbots for reliable updates -- only to encounter contradictory or inaccurate responses, further fueling online confusion.

The trend highlights how chatbots often generate confident responses, even when verified information is unavailable during fast-developing news events, energizing misinformation across platforms that have largely scaled back human fact-checking and content moderation.

A day after Kirk, a 31-year-old prominent ally of President Donald Trump, was fatally gunned down at a university in Utah, the X account of AI chatbot Perplexity falsely stated that the activist was never shot and was "still alive," according to the watchdog NewsGuard.

When posts containing an authentic video of Kirk being shot swirled online, the X account of Grok -- Elon Musk's AI chatbot -- stated that it was a satirical clip.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a new video of Charlie Kirk's suspected shooter, fleeing the scene of the crime moments after a single bullet pierced through the conservative activist's neck. In the video, the suspect can be seen running across the roof, dropping over the edge, before entering a wooded area on the Utah Valley University campus after the shooting. 

"Around 12 p.m. Mountain Time on September 10, 2025, the subject climbed up to a rooftop; after he shot and killed Charlie Kirk, he jumped off and ran away. He left a gun and ammunition in a wooded area near the university," the FBI said in a statement. 

"Trace evidence collected from the rooftop scene included shoe impressions, a forearm imprint, and a palm print. Anyone with information in this case should call the FBI at 1-800-FBI or visit fbi.gov/utahvalleyshooting," it added. 

Popular podcast host Joe Rogan was left speechless upon hearing about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Viral social media clips from the podcast show Mr Rogan at a loss for words, trying to come to terms with the news as actor Charlie Sheen sits across from him.

"So this just happened, we just found out that Charlie Kirk got shot," said Mr Rogan as his guest chimed in with: "Whoa. Murdered for having a different opinion from somebody else. Different ideology from somebody else."

"Yeah, I mean I don't know who did it or...do they even have a suspect?" Mr Rogan asked his colleague behind the camera.

"It's so scary. It's so dangerous, too, to celebrate or in any way encourage this kind of behavior from human beings. He's not a violent guy. He's talking to people on college campuses. Wasn't even particularly rude, tried to be pretty reasonable with people," he added.

Utah Governor, during a briefing today, stated that a "tremendous" amount of disinformation is circulating online and urged people not to share it further.

"I think Charlie said it best, that when things get bad we should put our phones down and spend time with our families. Our adversaries want violence," he said, claiming that Russian and Chinese bots on social media are playing a role in spreading disinformation.

The FBI has released a CCTV footage of the suspect escaping the crime scene after killing Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk at the Utah University.

"Following the shooting, the individual jumps from a rooftop and runs away from the location. Trace evidence collected from the rooftop includes shoe impressions, a forearm imprint, and a palm print. The shooter's weapon and ammunition were recovered from a wooded area near the university," the FBI said.

The Utah Governor, during a FBI media briefing on the manhunt of Charlie Kirk's shooter, said they are have received over 7,000 leads and tips - which they are investigating. 

"We have completed nearly 200 interviews. We will bring the perpetrator to justice. There is a lot of disinformation being circulated on the internet too," Utah Governor Spencer Cox said.

US President Donald Trump said that a "big progress" has been made in finding the accused who killed his ally Charlie Kirk. "I hear they're making big progress, and we'll see what happens," he said.

US Senator Bernie Sanders condemned Trump ally Charlie Kirk's assassination during an event at the Utah University.

"The murder of Charlie Kirk is part of a disturbing rise in political violence that threatens to hollow out our public life. A free society relies on the premise that people can speak out without fear or humiliation. No more political violence," he said.

US Vice President JD Vance carried Trump ally Charlie Kirk's coffin after landing in Arizona.

The FBI has released new pictures of the "person of interest" in the Charlie Kirk murder case. 

"The FBI continues to work alongside our law enforcement partners to seek justice in the murder of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. We are releasing additional photos of a person of interest," they said.

Kash Patel faced his biggest test yet as FBI director as current and former officials criticized his inaccurate statement that a suspect had been caught in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a prominent ally of President Trump.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Thursday warned that Washington may take action against foreigners "praising, rationalizing, or making light" of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, adding he had directed consular officials to take appropriate action.

Charlie Kirk's casket to be flown from Utah to Arizona aboard Air Force Two Thursday, AP source says.

The president said he plans to speak with Kirk's family on Thursday afternoon, and Vice President JD Vance is traveling to Utah Thursday to meet with Kirk's family in person.

"They have a virtual manhunt out there. So we'll see what happens," Trump said in a brief exchange with reporters shortly after attending the a 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Pentagon. "We hope we get 'em."

(AP)

Law enforcement officials, including members of an FBI forensics team, investigate near the crime scene where political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

(AFP)

Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump was assassinated on Wednesday.

FBI releases photos of a person of interest in Charlie Kirk's shooting as investigators appeal to the public for tips.

(AP)

President Donald Trump led US officials Thursday in combining tributes to the victims of the 9/11 attacks with those to murdered right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot the day before.

He was a "giant of his generation," and a "champion of liberty," Trump said at a ceremony at the Pentagon, which was one of the targets of the Al-Qaeda attacks 24 years ago that sparked two decades of deadly conflict.

The US president announced that he would soon posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the country's highest civilian honor.

(AFP)

Trump told reporters that he would be speaking to Charlie Kirk's family. He also said that "We're going to be talking about" how to bring the country together"

He said, "We will be discussing [that]. You don't replace a Charlie Kirk. He's unique, as you all know...but, we'll do the best we can", per BBC.

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will posthumously award right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, the highest civilian honour - the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

US President Donald Trump announces he'll posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

(AP)

Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump was assassinated on Wednesday.

FBI says Charlie Kirk assassin's 'high-powered' rifle found

(AFP)

"The security was super light, no crime at that school. So I guess the threat was low, apparently. That's a buffet for someone who wanted to kill someone", US Army Sergeant Nicholas Ranstad told the Daily Mail.

"They're probably just an internet shooter, not a sniper or trained soldier," Ranstad said.

No details on the weapon used for the murder of Charlie Kirk have been released, but gun ownership in the United States exacts a staggering toll, with about 20,000 deaths a year from shootings -- plus another 25,000 deaths from suicides.

Guns outnumber the 340 million people in the country, and attempts to restrict sales fail due to political deadlock as gun activists fiercely defend their Second Amendment rights.

(AFP)

Authorities searched on Thursday for a sniper who assassinated Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, with one bullet and then slipped away amid the mayhem resulting from the latest act of political violence to befall America.

Two people were detained Wednesday, but neither was determined to be connected to the shooting and both were released, public safety officials said.

The circumstances of the shooting drew renewed attention to an escalating threat of political violence in the United States that in the last several years has cut across the ideological spectrum.

(AP)

Soon after Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump was killed in Utah, in what the governor labelled a "political assassination", the spotlight was turned to his views on global politics.

"Charlie Kirk's death is the result of the international hate campaign waged by the progressive-liberal left," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on X, though US investigators have not yet made public a possible motive.

"This is what led to the attacks on (Slovak Prime Minister) Robert Fico, on (Czech former premier) Andrej Babis, and now on Charlie Kirk. We must stop the hatred! We must stop the hate-mongering left!"

Amid the Utah horror, Charlie Kirk's recent remarks on Indian migrants, stating "America does not need more visas for people from India", have resurfaced. Kirk said that the US is "full" and it is time the country puts its own people first.

US Vice President JD Vance will visit Utah on Thursday to meet the family of Charlie Kirk, a source familiar with the plans said, after the right-wing influencer was murdered while speaking at a university in the state.

Vance was originally meant to travel to New York to mark the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks with his wife Usha Vance. 

The pair will "visit Salt Lake City, Utah today to pay respects to the family of Charlie Kirk," the source said.

(AFP)

Wednesday's event, billed as the first stop on Kirk's "The American Comeback Tour," had generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its "commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue."

Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, "What's going on in Utah?"

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University when authorities said the shooter fired from a roof.

The shooter targeted one person, said Beau Mason, the commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Officers were seen looking at a photo on their phones and showing it to people to see if they recognised a person of interest. Authorities said the shooter wore dark clothing.

(AP)

Cox, a Republican, issued a stark warning to the shooter during an emotional news conference.

"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," the Utah governor said.

(AFP)

State police and federal agents were hunting on Thursday for a shooter who killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university in Utah in an attack that sparked fears of worsening political violence in the United States.

President Donald Trump lashed out after the shooting of Kirk, a powerful voice in conservative US politics at just 31 years old, and vowed to crack down on those responsible for what he described as "a dark moment for America."

"My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity."

(AFP)

"If we want things to change, it's 100% necessary to politicize the senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska because it was politics that allowed a savage monster with 14 priors to be free on the streets to kill her", Charlie Kirk wrote on X.

As was typical for Kirk's events, security was light. There were six university police officers assigned to the event, plus some private security. There were no metal detectors or bag checks, students told The Associated Press. Some attendees said no one even checked their tickets.

As Kirk arrived, cheers rose. The crowd packed a terraced courtyard, and students, including some protesters, watched from nearby buildings or overlooks.

(AP)

Charlie Kirk, a popular right-wing activist and a staunch ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

Kirk had an outsized influence in US politics, powering Trump's support among younger voters -- a key factor in the Republican's return to power last year.

He co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, his natural showmanship turning him into a go-to spokesman on television networks.

Kirk used his enormous audiences on Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.

(AFP)

The flags outside Turning Point USA's Phoenix headquarters have been lowered to half staff.

Bouquets of flowers delivered by well-wishers are piling up by the main door to one of at least three buildings that make up Turning Point's campus. The organisation's presence has grown steadily in a quiet neighborhood at the base of South Mountain park.

(AP)

The Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement Wednesday evening that the event was held at an outdoor bowl courtyard on campus known as the university quad. It is a common spot for campus events.

(AP)

"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."

The shooting comes amid a spike in attacks on political figures in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum.

(AP)

Former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was at Wednesday's event, told the Fox News Channel that he didn't believe Kirk had enough security.

"Utah is one of the safest places on the planet," he said. "And so we just don't have these types of things."

"The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible," Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last March hosted Kirk on his podcast, posted on X.

In his note in the memory of "friend" Charlie Kirk, JD Vance remembered the time both of them were sceptical about US President Donald Trump.

"Like me, he was sceptical of Donald Trump in 2016. Like me, he came to see President Trump as the only figure capable of moving American politics away from the globalism that had dominated our entire lives. When others were right, he learned from them. When he was right--as he usually was--he was generous. With Charlie, the attitude was never, 'I told you so.' But: 'welcome'," he wrote.

US political commentator Megyn Kelly broke down on live television as she announced that Charlie Kirk had died. The right-wing activist was assassinated on Wednesday during a public event at Utah Valley University.

Ms Kelly delivered the news during The Megyn Kelly Show while speaking with Glenn Beck, CEO of Blaze Media.

"They are reporting that Charlie has died, that he's dead, at the age of 31," Ms Kelly said through tears. Hearing this, Mr Beck covered his face, red with tears, and appeared to break down.

US Vice President JD Vance paid tribute to his "true friend" Charlie Kirk after the right-wing activist was fatally shot on Wednesday.

"I prayed a lot," Vance wrote on X, describing the moment he first heard of the attack.

He said he learned of the shooting while in a meeting, after group chats flooded with messages. "That's how I learned the news that my friend had been shot," he wrote.

"I prayed a lot over the next hour, as first good news and then bad trickled in. God didn't answer those prayers, and that's OK. He had other plans."

Describing Kirk as "a good man," Vance said his guidance and friendship shaped much of his political journey. He recalled their first connection in 2017, when Kirk sent him a message on social media praising his appearance on Tucker Carlson's Fox show. At that moment, Vance said, "began a friendship that lasted until today."

Hours after far-right activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a public event in Utah, an old video of his wife, Erika Kirk, has surfaced on social media. Reports and videos of the 31-year-old's assassination triggered an outpouring of grief from his supporters.

Originally posted on Instagram in February 2025, Erika's video celebrated her relationship with her husband. She captioned it, "...thank you for being my love story." At the time, Mr Kirk replied simply but affectionately, writing, "My favourite," accompanied by a red heart emoji.

Charlie Kirk was known for provocative statements on race that he used to court Gen Z voters.

"I'm sorry. If I see a Black pilot, I'm going to be like, 'Boy, I hope he's qualified,'" Kirk said during a 2024 podcast episode with fellow rightwing activist Jack Posobeic.

Kirk staunchly opposed the enactment of Juneteenth as a federal holiday. He said the move to elevate the date was motivated by "anti-American" sentiment that promoted "a neo-segregationist view" that he claimed sought to supplant Independence Day.

Titled "Got a Nut", the episode is the second instalment of Season 27 of the long-running animated television series. It features Eric Cartman imitating Mr Kirk. The storyline follows school counsellor Mr Mackey taking a job with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after being fired due to federal budget cuts. Alongside ICE raids involving Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Mr Cartman runs a podcast and interacts with callers, mimicking Mr Kirk's style and mannerisms.

The episode portrayed Mr Kirk as a "master debater" online, showing him as a viral influencer who often criticised "woke" culture, opposed critical race theory, and denied climate change.

In a 2023 event, Charlie Kirk had called civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr "awful" and "not a good person" as he decried the Civil Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discrimination based on race, religion, colour, sex and national origin, and prohibited segregation.

"I have a very, very radical view on this, but I can defend it, and I've thought about it," Kirk said. "We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s," he said at a December 2023 political conference hosted by his Turning Points USA group. He claimed that the law ushered in a "permanent" bureaucracy meant to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

In 2023, Charlie Kirk said that gun deaths were "worth it" to ensure the preservation of Second Amendment rights in the US-- which is the right to keep and bear arms.

"It's worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights...That is a prudent deal," he said during an appearance at the Salt Lake City campus of Awaken Church on April 5, 2023.

Ironically, Kirl was answering a question about gun violence when he was shot dead.

An aide of US President Donald Trump, Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 with Bill Montgomery. The Phoenix-based nonprofit promotes conservative principles such as fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government among high school and college students. Mr Kirk reportedly transformed it into a national network of more than 850 campus chapters.

The organisation quickly grew across universities in the US and is famous for hosting big events like the Student Action Summit and AmericaFest, which encourage young people to get involved in conservative politics.

TPUSA has also made controversial "watchlists," such as the Professor Watchlist and School Board Watchlist, which name teachers and school officials they believe are promoting left-wing ideas or treating conservative students unfairly.

TPUSA extended its reach through media projects such as Turning Point Live and The Charlie Kirk Show, as well as documentaries, including Border Battle and Identity Crisis.

Born on November 20, 1988, in Scottsdale, Arizona, Erika Frantzve is a model and a former NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Women's Basketball player at Regis University.

She has a double major - political science and international relations - from Arizona State University and a Juris Master's degree, American Legal Studies, from Liberty University, according to her website. She was crowned Miss Arizona USA in 2012.

Ms Frantzve, a social entrepreneur, has worked in the entertainment industry as a model, actress, and casting director.

Ms Frantzve tied the knot with Charlie Kirk and has since cherished her role as his wife and mother of their two young children.

Erika Kirk, the wife of conservative MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, shared a Bible passage about asking for help when things get tough just hours before her husband was shot dead.

Erika Kirk shared Psalm 46:1 on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday afternoon, writing, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Through events like the Student Action Summit and AmericaFest, Charlie Kirk mobilised young conservatives and provided a platform for Trump to engage directly with this demographic.

In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Mr Kirk launched the "You're Being Brainwashed" tour, visiting approximately 25 college campuses to debate key political topics. This initiative got around two billion viral views on social media, hugely amplifying Trump's message among Gen Z voters. His efforts are said to have helped shift younger voter demographics towards the right and contributed to Trump's electoral success in swing states.

Question: Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?

Charlie Kirk: Counting or not counting gang violence?

Then a single shot rang through. Blood poured through a wound in Kirk's neck, his head fell back, and he collapsed to his left.

A right-wing activist and a close ally of President Donald Trump, 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was on the Utah Valley University campus for an event when he was shot dead. Wearing a white t-shirt that had "Freedom" written on it, he was sitting in a tent and taking questions from the audience when the killer shot was fired.

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was at the event, told Fox News that Kirk was taking a question about "transgender shooters, mass shooters, and in the midst of that, the shot rang out".

Charlie Kirk's event at Utah college was part of TPUSA's "The American Comeback Tour." The Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement Wednesday evening that the event was held at an outdoor bowl courtyard on campus known as the university quad. It is a common spot for campus events.

DeChene and other witnesses said that there were no major security measures or any metal detectors at the event.

Some 3,000 people were in attendance, according to a statement from the Utah Department of Public Safety, which also said the university police department had six officers working the event along with Kirk's own security detail.

Eyewitnesses said moments before his assassination, Charlie Kirk, co-founder of the conservative youth organisation 'Turning Point USA', was sparring with a questioner over who commits gun violence. Then the shot rang out.
Raydon DeChene, who was among the crowd at Kirk's event, told CBS News that she was standing near Kirk's "Prove Me Wrong" outdoor tent, where he invited students to challenge his political and cultural views.

DeChene said Kirk was, "ironically," talking about gun control before he was shot. She said she saw Kirk suddenly grab his neck.

"And there's just blood pouring out everywhere, and his eyes kind of rolled back. At that point, I kind of looked up because it sounded like it came up from behind me, up the hill. It was just one pop, and then we all dropped to the ground. Then they told us all to run. So we all ran out," she said.

Cellphone video clips of the killing showed Charlie Kirk addressing a large outdoor crowd at the university when a gunshot rang out. The 31-year-old was speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans "The American Comeback" and "Prove Me Wrong".

A single shot rang out, and Kirk was seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushed from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators were heard gasping and screaming before people started to run away.

US President Donald Trump ordered White Flags to be flown at half mast to honour ally Charlie Kirk.

The Utah college where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday is the state's largest public university after years of rapid enrollment growth, but is lesser known than other colleges in the state.

Utah Valley University was founded under a different name in 1941 as a vocational school focused on providing war production training. It didn't begin offering four-year degrees until the 1990s, a move that fueled a fivefold increase in enrollment over the next three decades. It now has nearly 47,000 students, according to the university website.

Nearly nine out of 10 students at the school in Orem are from Utah, and 18% of students are 25 years old or older. Business and psychology are among the most popular majors.

Utah Valley University's campus is right off a major highway about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City, where the state's flagship school, the University of Utah, is located.

The assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk marks a watershed moment in a surge of U.S. political violence, one that some experts fear will inflame an already-fractured country and inspire more unrest.

"This event is horrifying, alarming, but not necessarily surprising," said Mike Jensen, a researcher at the University of Maryland, which has tracked such violence in a terrorism database since 1970, in an interview with news agency Reuters.

In the first six months of the year, the US experienced about 150 politically-motivated attacks — nearly twice as many as over the same period last year, said Jensen. "I think we are in a very, very dangerous spot right now that could quite easily escalate into more widespread civil unrest if we don't get a hold of it," Jensen said. "This could absolutely serve as a kind of flashpoint that inspires more of it."

Jensen, the University of Maryland researcher who tracks violence for the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, said the future appears grim.

“This is an administration that, whether you agree with it or not, has made profound changes to this country in the eight months it’s been in office,” he said, as reported by news agency Reuters. “Some people love it, some people hate it. The people that hate it are starting to act out. People who love it are going to act out against those people that hate it, and it becomes a vicious spiral that could lead us into something really, really bad.”

Authorities have not arrested a suspect in Kirk's shooting, described as a "targeted attack" in a statement from Utah's Department of Public Safety.

"The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard," it said.

Two men were briefly detained and released after being questioned by law enforcement officials as the manhunt continued.

One man, George Zinn, was charged with obstruction.

Neither man has "current ties to the shooting," authorities said.

Charlie Kirk, the head of the largest conservative youth movement in the United States, which he co-founded in 2012 at the age of 18, was speaking around noon on the campus of Utah Valley University.

Dressed in a white t-shirt with the word "Freedom" across the front, Kirk sat in a chair under a tent as he answered questions from the large audience gathered around him.

The event was the first of about 15 scheduled across the country through the end of October.

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was at the event, told Fox News that Kirk was responding to a question about "transgender shooters, mass shooters, and in the midst of that, the shot rang out."

The 31-year-old collapsed and blood spurted from his neck, according to a video clip shot from a nearby location.

Kirk was then rushed away on a stretcher by his security detail.

"As soon as that shot went out, he fell back," Chaffetz said. "Everybody hit the deck... a lot of people started screaming, and then everybody started running."

Utah Governor Spencer J Cox said he is working with the FBI and Utah law enforcement, and will "bring to justice the individual responsible for this tragedy (Charlie Kirk's assassination)."

"Abby and I are heartbroken. We are praying for Charlie's wife, daughter, and son," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Democrat Kamala Harris said she is "deeply disturbed" by the shooting in Utah in which Trump aide Charlie Kirk was shot dead. Ms Harris made it clear that "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," she added.

In a video message from the Oval Office, President Trump has condemned the “demonising” of political opponents in the US even as he claimed the rhetoric of the “radical left” was “directly responsible” for the assassination of Kirk.

"From the attack on my life in Butler, Pennsylvania, last year, which killed a husband and father, to the attacks on ICE agents, to the vicious murder of a healthcare executive in the streets of New York, to the shooting of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and three others. Radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives."

He claimed that the "rhetoric" of the radical left was directly responsible for the terrorism in America, and "it must stop right now."

"My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organisations that fund it and support it, as well as those who go after our judges, law enforcement officials, and everyone else who brings order to our country," Trump said.

US President Donald Trump hailed Charlie Kirk, his ally killed by a single shot in a targeted attack at Utah Valley University, as a "martyr for truth" on Wednesday, while assailing the "radical left," suggesting its rhetoric contributed to the death of the conservative activist. He also pledged to carry out a crackdown on "those who perpetrate political violence."

"For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals," Trump said in a video posted on his Truth Social platform.

The President called Kirk's assassination a "heinous" and "dark moment for America."

US right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk was part of a constellation of influencers who helped amplify Republican President Donald Trump's agenda, galvanizing conservative youth and rising to international prominence with often inflammatory rhetoric focused on such issues as race, gender and immigration.

Kirk had 5.3 million followers on his X account and drew an audience of more than 500,000 monthly listeners to podcasts of his radio programme, "The Charlie Kirk Show." He also authored or contributed to several books, including "Time for a Turning Point" and "The College Scam."

Amid the Utah horror, Charlie Kirk's recent remarks on Indian migrants, stating "America does not need more visas for people from India", have resurfaced. Kirk said that the US is "full" and it is time the country puts its own people first.

"America does not need more visas for people from India. Perhaps no form of legal immigration has so displaced American workers as those from India. Enough already. We're full. Let's finally put our own people first," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on September 2.

A person taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk has been released, the FBI director said hours after announcing the detention.

Calling Charlie Kirk "the Great, and even legendary," US President Donald Trump led the tributes for his close aide, shot dead at Utah University.

"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," he added.

Extending condolences to the family, the President wrote, "Melania and my sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"
     

Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot at a US university on Wednesday, was the eloquent spokesman for a younger generation of Donald Trump's hard-right Republican movement.

The 31-year-old boasted millions of followers on social media who delighted at his whip-smart edits and provocative takedowns of hecklers and ideological challengers.

Kirk's conservative ideology was closely aligned with Trump: he backed the US president's false claims of fraud when he lost the 2020 presidential election and used his heavyweight influence to lash out at migrants and transgender people.

In speaking gigs at American universities, he invited students to debate with him in quick-fire exchanges that often went viral online -- especially those with progressives opposed to his views.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in an act that drew renewed attention to the threat of political violence across the United States.

The suspected shooter has not been arrested, Orem, Utah, Mayor David Young said. A person who was taken into custody by law enforcement at the university where Kirk was speaking was not the suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly.