Charlie Kirk Shot Dead at Utah Campus Event

Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder and president of conservative activism group Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Wednesday evening. President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death on social media, calling him “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk”.

FBI Launches Massive Manhunt

The FBI has launched an intensive manhunt for the shooter and released a person of interest photo as the search continues. Federal authorities are offering a substantial reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the individual responsible for Kirk’s murder.

Video footage from the incident shows Kirk speaking to a large outdoor crowd when a gunshot rang out. Kirk was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Political Impact and Legacy

Kirk was a key ally of President Donald Trump and founded Turning Point USA, which advocates for conservative politics at high schools and colleges nationwide. Utah’s governor characterized the shooting as a political assassination carried out from a rooftop, highlighting the concerning escalation of political violence in America.

Turning Point USA released a statement confirming that “Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gunshot that took place during Turning Point USA’s ‘The American Comeback Tour’ campus event”. The organization described Kirk as becoming America’s greatest martyr for freedom of speech, noting he had received thousands of threats throughout his activism career.

The shooting has prompted widespread outcry over political violence and raised serious questions about security at political events nationwide.