The prominent conservative activist was killed during a public debate at a university campus in Utah
Law enforcement tapes off an area after Charlie Kirk was shot at the Utah Valley University, September 10, 2025 © Tess Croewley / The Deseret News via AP
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, in what authorities believe was a targeted attack. The 31-year-old was struck by a single rifle round while speaking on stage to hundreds of students.
The suspected gunman fired from a rooftop on the Orem campus before fleeing the scene. Despite initial reports of a person in custody, the FBI later confirmed that a “subject of interest” had been released after questioning, and the attacker remains at large.
Kirk, founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was widely known for his campus debates with progressive students and for his close alliance with President Donald Trump. His killing has triggered a wave of political reactions, with Democrats condemning “political violence” and Republicans blaming what they describe as hostile left-wing rhetoric.
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11 September 2025
02:42 GMT
The FBI has officially confirmed that neither of the two people taken into custody earlier in the day had any connection to the deadly shooting of Charlie Kirk. One man, George Zinn, was charged with obstruction by university police after the shooting, while a second, Zachariah Qureshi, was questioned and released.
“There are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals. There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter,” the FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety said in a joint statement.
- 02:31 GMT
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted a tribute to Charlie Kirk, calling him “our country’s relentless and courageous crusader for free speech.”
“Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era. My dear friend Charlie Kirk was our country’s relentless and courageous crusader for free speech. We pray for Erika and the children. Charlie is already in paradise with the angels. We ask his prayers for our country,” Kennedy wrote on X.
Kennedy’s statement carried a personal weight given his own family history – his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, were both assassinated in the 1960s.
Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era. My dear friend Charlie Kirk was our country's relentless and courageous crusader for free speech. We pray for Erika and the children. Charlie is already in paradise with the angels. We ask his prayers for… pic.twitter.com/ReOdkT6VbV
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) September 10, 2025
- 02:13 GMT
First lady Melania Trump called for “compassionate awareness,” mourning on behalf of Charlie Kirk’s two young children.
Charlie’s children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs instead of laughter, and silence where their father’s voice should have echoed. Charlie Kirk’s life should serve as a symbolic reminder that compassionate awareness elevates family, love, and…
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) September 11, 2025
- 01:39 GMT
President Donald Trump has vowed to pursue not only the assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk but also those he accused of funding and fueling “radical left” political violence across the United States.
In a video statement posted Wednesday night on Truth Social, Trump described Kirk, 31, as a “patriot” and a “martyr for truth and freedom,” praising him for inspiring young Americans through debates on college campuses nationwide.
The president linked Kirk’s murder to what he called years of left-wing demonization of conservatives, warning that “violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year.” He promised to use the full weight of his administration to investigate not only perpetrators but also “the organizations 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.”
- 01:07 GMT
Officials have provided conflicting reports on whether the suspected gunman is still on the loose. A law enforcement source told AP that authorities are seeking a new person of interest after the FBI confirmed that the only “subject” in Kirk’s assassination had been released after questioning. The Utah Department of Public Safety has also stated that no one is currently in custody.
READ MORE: ‘Subject’ of interest in Charlie Kirk shooting released after questioning – FBI
- 00:35 GMT
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler has apologized after political analysts Matthew Dowd speculated live on air that the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk could have been the result of “a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration.”
Dowd described Kirk as “one of the most divisive younger figures,” adding: “Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions. And I think that is the environment we are in… You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place.”
Political analyst Matthew Dowd on MSNBC wonders whether the Charlie Kirk shooting may have been “a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration.” pic.twitter.com/cW3IQzLEcD
— The Recount (@therecount) September 10, 2025
- 00:03 GMT
FBI Director Kash Patel has announced that a person briefly detained as a “subject” of interest in the shooting has now been released after interrogation, suggesting that the gunman remains at large.
“Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in the interest of transparency,” Patel said.
The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 10, 2025
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10 September 2025
23:47 GMT
Former President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and other Democratic leaders released similar boilerplate statements condemning “political violence” and calling for unity.
There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 10, 2025
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tied the tragedy to broader concerns about “gun violence,” while Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez described it as part of the “scourge of political and gun violence that must end.”
I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah. Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family.Let me be clear: 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.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 10, 2025
- 23:17 GMT
Tech billionaire Elon Musk accused Democrats and the media of fostering a climate of hate.
“The Left is the party of murder,” he wrote on X. Musk also endorsed comments by political commentator Mike Cernovich blaming donors such as George Soros, Bill Gates, and Reid Hoffman for enabling left-wing extremism.
Musk himself has previously been targeted by radical protesters, and a recent poll found 55% of left-leaning respondents considered violence against him “somewhat justified.”
- 22:57 GMT
Utah Governor Spencer Cox described Kirk’s death as a “tragic day for our nation.” He said Kirk was “first and foremost a dad to two young children” and praised him for fostering debate on campuses. Cox also confirmed investigators believe the killing was a targeted attack.
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