Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot Wednesday at an event at a Utah college, Turning Point said.
Videos posted to social media show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone at Utah Valley University, at Sorensen Center courtyard, sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans, 鈥淭he American Comeback鈥 and 鈥淧rove Me Wrong.鈥
A single shot rings out and Kirk reaches up with his hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream. Some run away.
The university said a suspect is in custody.
Here’s the latest:
The president of Dartmouth College says a Kirk invite to that campus was in demand
Dartmouth College President Sian Beilock says a bipartisan student group invited Kirk to that Ivy League campus for a Sept. 25 event.
Beilock says the event “was sold out within 10 minutes.鈥
Beilock made the comment during a media event Wednesday with other college presidents.
Victims of political violence show support for Kirk
Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, posted that 鈥渢he horrific shooting today at Utah Valley University is reprehensible. Political violence has absolutely no place in our nation.鈥 Pelosi鈥檚 husband was seriously injured in 2022 by a man wielding a hammer, who authorities said was a believer in conspiracy theories.
Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who suffered a serious brain injury in a 2011 shooting in Arizona, said she was 鈥渉orrified鈥 to hear of Kirk鈥檚 shooting. 鈥淒emocratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence,鈥 she said on social media.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat and potential national candidate, said, 鈥淲e must speak with moral clarity. The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society.鈥 A fire was set at his house.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who was the subject of a kidnapping plot, said on social media that 鈥渨e should all come together to stand up against any and all forms of political violence.鈥 Two men were imprisoned for their 2020 plot to kidnap the governor during her first term.
A Republican at the event says he heard one shot
A former U.S. representative for Utah鈥檚 3rd congressional district, Jason Chaffetz, says when the shot rang out, Kirk had just been asked a question by someone in the crowd about transgender people and shootings.
鈥淎s soon as I saw Charlie go back, you realize that it was a shot,鈥 Chaffetz says. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 as if there was a whole bunch of gunfire. It was one shot.鈥
Elected officials react to the shooting
鈥 Vice President JD Vance: 鈥淒ear God, protect Charlie in his darkest hour.鈥
鈥 Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg: 鈥淧olitical violence must be always and totally rejected,鈥 Buttigieg wrote on X. 鈥淧raying for him and all who may have been injured or impacted.鈥
鈥 Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker: 鈥淭he attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying. Political violence has no place in this country and should never become the norm. I鈥檓 sending my sympathies to his family and friends at this time.鈥
鈥 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: speaking at a news conference on Everglades restoration Wednesday, said Kirk was known for sparking political debate rather than advocating hate or violence. 鈥淭he way to resolve political disputes is not through violence. The way to do that is to ask questions, debate,鈥 he said.
鈥 Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper: 鈥淰iolence is unacceptable. I strongly condemn the attack on Charlie Kirk and political violence in all forms. I鈥檓 praying for his swift recovery.鈥
鈥 New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani: “I鈥檓 horrified by the shooting of Charlie Kirk at a college event in Utah. Political violence has no place in our country.鈥
鈥 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: 鈥淧raying for @charliekirk11鈥
Kirk is in critical condition
A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting told The Associated Press that Kirk is being treated and is in critical condition. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.
鈥 By Alana Durkin Richer
Utah Valley University is the state鈥檚 largest public university
With nearly 47,000 students, Utah Valley University has grown to become the largest public university in Utah.
It鈥檚 located about 40 miles (65 miles) south of Salt Lake City, the state capital, and was founded in 1941 as a vocation school. From those beginnings, its enrollment has jumped five-fold over the past three decades.
The college is not affiliated or owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known widely as the Mormon church.
Bipartisan rejections of political violence continue
Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat and a potential 2028 presidential candidate, called the shooting 鈥渃hilling & horrific鈥 in an X post.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, another Democrat and potential national candidate, said, 鈥淲e must speak with moral clarity. The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society.鈥
Republican Senate Leader John Thune of South Dakota posted: 鈥淭here is no place in our country for political violence. Period, full stop.鈥
Gabby Giffords says she is horrified about the shooting
Giffords, a former U.S. representative for Arizona who suffered a serious brain injury when she was shot in 2011, posted on X about the attack on Kirk.
鈥淚鈥檓 horrified to hear that Charlie Kirk was shot at an event in Utah,鈥 she wrote Wednesday.
鈥淒emocratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence.鈥
Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point USA
The event at Utah Valley University had been met with divided opinions on campus.
An online petition urging 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 鈥渃ommitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.鈥
Trump says, ‘we must all pray for Charlie Kirk.’
鈥淎 great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!鈥 the president said in a post on Truth Social.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI is 鈥渃losely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk.鈥
Vice President JD Vance also called for prayers, calling Charlie Kirk 鈥渁 genuinely good guy and a young father.鈥
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Attorney General Pam Bondi, and House Speaker Mike Johnson joined the chorus of Trump officials offering their prayers to Kirk.
Support also came from across the aisle.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the shooting 鈥渄isgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.鈥
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: 鈥淧olitical violence has absolutely no place in our nation.鈥
Aubrey Laitsch at Turning Point USA confirms Charlie Kirk has been hospitalized.
鈥淗e is in the hospital, and we are praying for him at this time,鈥 said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.
Former Utah congressman says Kirk had some security but not enough
Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said told Fox News Channel that he heard one shot and saw Kirk go back.
鈥淚t seemed like it was a close shot,鈥 Chaffetz said, who seemed shaken as he spoke.
He said there was a light police presence at the event and Kirk had some security but not enough.
鈥淯tah is one of the safest places on the planet,鈥 he said. 鈥淎nd so we just don鈥檛 have these types of things.鈥
