OREM, Utah (AP) — Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed at a Utah college event in what the governor called a political assassination.
Authorities say Kirk was killed with a single shot from a rooftop on Wednesday. The shooter slipped away amid the chaos of screams and students fleeing the Utah Valley University campus. Federal, state, and local authorities are conducting a search for the unidentified shooter amid what they describe as multiple active crime scenes. Governor Spencer Cox remarked, This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation, labeling the incident as a political assassination.
The shooting, which took place during a question-and-answer session about gun violence, has sparked renewed concern regarding political violence in the United States that has been on the rise in recent years. Kirk's death drew condemnation from both Democratic and Republican leaders. Presidential proclamations were made, and flags were ordered to be flown at half-staff as tributes poured in from around the nation.
In statements posted to social media, Trump described Kirk as a martyr for truth and freedom, directly attributing the event to worsening rhetoric from the political left.
Witness accounts detail the moments leading to the shooting, noting the intense fear felt by attendees and the rapid response from law enforcement. The university has since closed its campus, and investigations continue with a focus on the growing concern for safety at public events.
As investigations unfold, the complexities surrounding political discourse and safety at such events have come to the forefront, highlighting a need for dialogue on preventing violence linked to political ideologies.
