NATIONWIDE SH0CK: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk D!ES at 31 after Utah SH00TING – Official Statement Released

CONSERVATIVE activist and Dоnɑld Tгuмρ ally Charlie Kirk has d!ed at 31 after he was sh0t during an event in Utah.

Graphic video sh0wed a single bullet striking Kirk in the neck, causing him to collapse while hosting an outdoor student debate event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday afternoon.

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Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was sh0t while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on WednesdayCredit: AP

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People ran from the event at Utah Valley University after gunfire broke outCredit: Reuters

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Disturbing videos circulating on X captured the moment Kirk was sh0tCredit: X

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Dоnɑld Tгuмρ announced Charlie Kirk’s d3ath on Truth Social on Wednesday afternoonCredit: Truth Social/realDоnɑldTгuмρ
A suspect is now in custody in connection with Kirk’s k!lling, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox said at a press conference that the FBI has a “person of interest” in custody, but would not confirm they are the sh00ter.

Officials described the sh00ting as a targeted political assassination and said only one sh0t was fired.

Kirk, an outspoken commentator who frequently appeared on Fox News, was best known for co-founding Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit organization aimed at organizing students.

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is d3ad,” Tгuмρ announced on Truth Social.

“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”

Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Lane Frantzve, and their two young children.

ASSASSINATION SCENE

The pro-gun activist was speaking about sh00tings in the moments before he was murd3red at the university with a single gunsh0t.

Just seconds after he paused during a student Q&A at the school, the sh0t was heard ringing out in horrifying footage of the sh00ting.

Blood was seen gushing from Kirk’s neck as he fell off his chair, as bystanders screamed, “Get down! Get down!”

Gutwrenching moment Fox News host Will Cain goes silent after announcing Charlie Kirk’s d3ath at 31 live on air

He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and was pronounced d3ad just hours later.

Just minutes before the reports rang out, Kirk’s social media accounts shared videos and pictures of the activist smiling as he met students.

He was speaking about mass k!llings committed by transgender Americans and was asked how many mass sh00tings had happened in the US in the past 10 years.

Kirk was beginning to answer by asking, “Counting or not counting gang violence?” when he was hit.

 

Timeline of Charlie Kirk sh00ting

 

Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was sh0t in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on September 10.

12 pm MDT– Kirk is scheduled to host a debate in the UVU Fountain Courtyard.

12:10 pm – A sh0t is fired at Kirk from 200 yards away and hits him in the neck. The event is immediately evacuated and a man is taken into custody.

1:02 pm – President Dоnɑld Tгuмρ posts a call to pray for Kirk on Truth Social.

1:37 pm – UVU closes campus, cancels classes, and tells students to leave campus immediately.

1:50 pm – Officials confirm Kirk is in critical condition to the Associated Press.

2:40 pm – Tгuмρ confirms Kirk has d!ed, hailing him “great, legendary” in a post on Truth Social.

4:21 pm FBI Director Kash Patel shares on X that the ‘subject for the horrific sh00ting’ is in custody.

4:30 pm – Utah Governor Spencer Cox, speaking at a press conference, brands Kirk’s d3ath a ‘political assassination. Cox adds there is a ‘person of interest’ in custody and a man arrested earlier has been released.

Former Representative Jason Chaffetz, a Republican from Utah who was attending the event, spoke about the immediacy of the violent attack on Fox News.

“I was watching Charlie,” Chaffetz said.

“I can’t say that I saw blood. I can’t say that I saw him get hit, but I did see him fall immediately backwards into his left.”

The politician continued, “As soon as the sh0t went out, everybody hit the deck and everybody started scattering and yelling and screaming, as you might imagine.

Chaffetz said he went from watching Kirk speak to looking over to check if his loved ones were safe.

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The longtime Dоnɑld Tгuмρ ally was doing a Q&A with students with his nonprofit Turning Point USA when he was hitCredit: Reuters

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Attendees sobbed after the terrifying incidentCredit: AP

‘LACK OF SECURITY’

One witness, Tyler McGettigan, said he was sh0cked about how little security there was at the outdoor event, especially after such a large crowd had amassed.

He said that no one even checked the ticket that he brought when he walked up to the amphitheatre where Kirk was speaking.

“I was expecting when I got here that I’d have to pass through some kind of security, but that just wasn’t a thing,” he told NBC News.

“No one checked the barcode or the QR code.

“There was no checkpoint to get in. It was literally, anyone could walk in if they wanted.”

UNIDENTIFIED SUSPECT

One person is in custody related to the sh00ting, the FBI and the Utah governor confirmed.

Investigators described them as a “person of interest” and are looking into whether the person is the sh00ter.

The sh0ts were fired from the roof of the Losee Center, about 200 yards away from the stage where Kirk spoke, officials said.

Videos taken from the scene appeared to sh0w a figure running across the roof of the Losee Center in the seconds after Kirk was sh0t.

Another video, apparently taken outside the event before the sh00ting, appeared to sh0w a person dressed in dark clothing lying down on the roof of the building.

Cops initially arrested a man named George Zim at the scene, but it was later confirmed that he wasn’t the suspect.

He has been booked in the county jail for obstruction of justice, cops said.

 

Dоnɑld Tгuмρ’s statement

 

President Dоnɑld Tгuмρ announced Charlie Kirk’s d3ath in a statement on Truth Social on Wednesday.

The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is d3ad.

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!

Source: Truth Social

The university’s campus was shut down and classes were canceled for the afternoon.

UVU students were told to leave the premises immediately.

“Those on campus, secure in place until police officers can escort you safely off campus,” wrote the university.

FIRST STOP ON TOUR

Kirk was on campus representing his organization, Turning Point USA, which hosts events advocating for conservative politics.

This was the first stop on the group’s American Comeback Tour, which had multiple more stops scheduled this fall.

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Krik is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their two kidsCredit: Instagram/charliekirk1776

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After the sh00ting, Tгuмρ called for prayers for KirkCredit: Truth Social/realDоnɑldTгuмρ
Ahead of the tour, a petition was created on August 29 by students who didn’t want Kirk to visit USU.

“Utah State University has consistently worked towards fostering an inclusive space for all its students and faculty,” the Change.org petition said.

“Letting a figurehead, whose speeches often seem to undermine the essence of inclusivity, use our beloved institution as a platform contradicts this mission.”

The petition had over 6,000 signatures before it was closed on Wednesday.

KIRK’S LEGACY

Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 when he was just 18, dropping out of college to do so.

The organization inspired spin-off groups including Turning Point Endowment, Turning Point Action, and the website Professor Watchlist.

He quickly became a known presence on cable TV for his early support of Tгuмρ’s first presidential bid.

Kirk became close with Tгuмρ and went on a mission to make conservatism cool by targeting college campuses.

 

Charlie Kirk’s rise to hero of the youth MAGA movement

 

CHARLIE Kirk transformed conservative youth activism from a marginal movement into a powerful force before his assassination on a college campus at 31.

Kirk was an American conservative political activist, author, and media personality who rose to prominence as the co-founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA).

He launched the organization in 2012 when he was just 18 years old, with the goal of promoting conservative principles to high school and college students and became a significant figure in American politics by building a massive grassroots network, framing himself as a “culture warrior.”

The rise of Turning Point USA

Turning Point USA’s mission was to counter what Kirk and his allies saw as liberal dominance on American college campuses.

It quickly grew to prominence through his use of provocative activism and viral social media campaigns.

They created watchlists of professors pushing leftist propaganda and organized events to debate students on controversial topics.

The strategy helped them gain a significant following and financial backing from wealthy conservative donors.

Kirk’s ability to connect with a new generation of conservatives was one of his most notable impacts.

He cultivated a style of political engagement that was heavily reliant on social media, podcasts, and confrontational public appearances.

His organization’s events, such as the annual Student Action Summit, drew thousands of young attendees and featured prominent conservative speakers, creating a new kind of political ecosystem for young people who felt alienated from traditional conservative groups.

A key ally of Dоnɑld Tгuмρ

Kirk also became a staunch supporter and ally of President Dоnɑld Tгuмρ.

He was the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention and served as an aide to Dоnɑld Tгuмρ Jr. during the presidential campaign.

This relationship solidified his position within the Republican Party’s “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) wing, and his organization became an integral part of Tгuмρ’s political apparatus.

Through his popular podcast, “The Charlie Kirk Show,” and his frequent appearances on conservative media, Kirk was a powerful voice in the pro-Tгuмρ movement.

He often framed political issues as a “spiritual battle” between good and evil and championed a pugnacious, populist form of conservatism.

His influence was so significant that after Tгuмρ’s 2024 victory, Kirk was credited with helping to mobilize younger voters for the campaign.

Influence on culture and social issues

Beyond traditional politics, Kirk’s influence extended deeply into social and cultural issues.

He was a vocal opponent of “woke” ideology, particularly in education and media.

He promoted traditional values, often encouraging young women to prioritize becoming homemakers and mothers over professional careers.

Kirk also openly criticized programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

He was also a major proponent of Christian nationalism, arguing that there is no true separation of church and state in the United States.

The Turning Point Empire

Kirk’s activism led to the expansion of the Turning Point brand into a larger political and media empire.

He launched Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group focused on voter mobilization, and Turning Point Faith, aimed at engaging evangelical Christian communities in conservative politics.

These affiliated organizations allowed him to broaden his reach and influence beyond college campuses, into a more mainstream political force.

TRIBUTES POUR IN

After her husband’s d3ath, Erika Kirk shared a Bible verse on X saying, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Turning Point USA shared a statement remembering Kirk on their social media accounts after his d3ath.

“May he be received into the merciful arms of loving Savior, who suffered and d!ed for Charlie,” the statement said.

“We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers. We ask that you please respect their privacy and dignity at this time.”

Fox News host Will Cain broke into tears live on the air as he announced Kirk’s d3ath.

Tгuмρ ordered all flags to fly at half-staff until Sunday as a tribute for Kirk.

Dоnɑld Tгuмρ Jr. wrote on X, “I love you brother.

“You gave so many people the courage to speak up and we will not ever be silence.”

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The terrified crowd rushed for cover after the sh00tingCredit: AP

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The lawn was left barren after attendees fled the sceneCredit: Reuters

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Cops rushed to the scene after the gunfireCredit: Reuters