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.
Eyewitnesses described hearing a single gunshot. Footage of the event showed Mr Kirk being shot in the throat and blood immediately gushing out of the wound. He then collapsed amid screams and chaos.
"There's no way he survived that," Mr Beck said, composing himself. "The only good thing is it had to have happened quickly."
Charlie Kirk was killed during a Q&A session at the University. About 20 minutes into the event, he was shot in the neck from a nearby building and collapsed in front of thousands of attendees. He was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital but died later that afternoon.
Later that evening, Ms Kelly told Sky News host Paul Murray that the tragedy had deeply affected her family.
"My kids are very jarred by this," she said, adding that she believed Mr Kirk had the potential to become US president.
"I was like ... when I'm close to 80, Charlie will be president, or he will have already served two terms as president. He was on that trajectory," the conservative host said.
Police initially detained an individual in tactical gear, but he was later released. The FBI is investigating the attack as a political assassination, and the shooter remains at large.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox condemned the act as targeted political violence, while President Donald Trump mourned Mr Kirk as a "martyr for truth and freedom." Vice President JD Vance called him a "true friend."
