Charlie Kirk, the outspoken conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed today during a college speaking event at Utah Valley University.
He was 31. Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, their 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son.
This developing story will be updated as new information comes to light.
Utah university shooting
The shooting happened under a tent in the Sorensen Center courtyard, during a live outdoors Q&A about gun violence. His event was billed as part of “The American Comeback Tour,” and drew both supporters and protests in the lead-up.
According to witnesses at the event, Kirk was answering a question on mass shooters when a shot rang out.
People scattered and police evacuated the campus, asking people to take shelter until they could be escorted out. Classes were halted.
Officials say the suspect is still at large. As reported by AP News, one person was initially detained, but authorities later confirmed they were not the suspect.
The investigation continues, with police urging anyone who was at the event to share footage or information. Utah’s governor and other officials have promised a full probe.
The cost of gun violence
I’m not here to tell you how to feel about him. I disliked him vehemently. But you can dislike his politics and still see the human cost. A family lost someone today.
I’ve never agreed with Kirk’s political views or the kind of division he stoked. But this is America’s cycle, isn’t it?
One more shooting, one more headline, one more family left to pick up the pieces. Gun rights remain untouched, while gun deaths mount.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Kirk was best known as the founder and president of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organisation he launched in 2012. He was a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump.
Turning Point USA built its influence through campus chapters and rallies, and soon grew into a national platform, often sparking protests at universities.
Kirk also drew controversy for statements downplaying gun violence. At one event, he said mass shooting deaths were an “unfortunate necessity” for America’s freedom.
Those words are being replayed in the wake of his own death.
What Charlie Kirk believed
Kirk positioned himself as a defender of “American conservatism”. He opposed abortion, gun restrictions, and affirmative action, and often attacked what he called “woke culture” on college campuses.
Supporters saw him as a voice for young conservatives. I saw it as spreading misinformation, stoking division, and giving cover to extremism.
He pushed against COVID-19 restrictions by spreading fake news. Twitter had also banned him in 2020 for falsely claiming hydroxychloroquine was proved to be “100% effective” in treating COVID.
He consistently argued against climate change regulations and supported harmful practices around extraction and fossil fuels. He was also vocal on issues of immigration, calling for stricter border control.
As a gun rights advocate, he said gun deaths are “worth the cost … to protect our God-given rights.” At the time, critics warned that his comments were “dangerous and dismissive” of the impact of gun violence on children.
He wanted teachers to stop teaching critical race theory in schools. In 2024, he made headlines for saying, “If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified’.”
He also believed in the great replacement myth, was opposed to gay marriage (despite not being gay himself?), and called on President Trump to “ban trans-affirming care.”
In the end, Kirk’s legacy will be argued over. What can’t be argued is this: two children, who didn’t choose their father, lost him to the very violence he once defended.
