OREM, Utah (KSTU) — Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk has died after being shot during a speaking appearance at Utah Valley University in Orem, President Donald Trump said on social media.
"...Charlie Kirk, is dead," Trump's post on Truth Social read in part. "He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us."
Local officials have not confirmed Trump's social media post claiming that Kirk had died.
School officials said gunshots were fired from the top of the Losee Center on campus, which is approximately 200 yards from where Kirk was speaking.
The shooting occurred about 20 minutes into Kirk's speech as he sat under a tent in the Sorensen Center courtyard with the slogans, “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.”
Video of the incident shows Kirk being shot in the chest or neck area before he falls to his left. The crowd of a few thousand that had gathered immediately began to scatter from the courtyard among screams.
After originally stating that a suspect had been apprehended, officials updated that information to say no suspect is currently in custody. Video from the scene showed a man being detained by police, but authorities said he is no longer a suspect involved in the shooting.
"We hear a shot and then there's a wave of blood come out of his chest, and we all get down. I had a couple of people trample me actually, so it was pretty horrific," said Ethan, a student at the school."
Utah Valley University is currently on lockdown and all classes have been canceled for the day. Those who remain on campus should contact police for an escort before leaving. BYU in nearby Provo said it remains open but with an increased police presence.
“It just sound[ed] like an earthquake, and everyone starts screaming,” said Angeline Paul, who was in a classroom next to the courtyard. “And then all these kids start running into our classroom … falling on the ground, and they're like, ‘There's a shooter! There's a shooter!’”
She and her fellow students then started taking active shooter precautions like turning off the lights and locking the door — “kind of going down the list of things we need to do.”
Other witnesses explained how the reality of what happened in Orem seemed to take a page from what they've grown up seeing.
"The craziest part about it is I think we're all like super-desensitized from like movies and stuff, so I saw it and I immediately just couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing," shared a student.
Prior to the shooting, a petition to “Prevent Charlie Kirk from speaking at Utah Valley University” circulated online. Created by an “anonymous contributor,” the petition said Kirk had become “known for his divisive rhetoric that often supports policies and laws which aren’t inclusive and can marginalize various communities.”
That platform is inconsistent, the petition argued, with Utah Valley University’s ideals of “inclusivity and diversity.”
The petition called on the university to reevaluate its decision to allow Kirk to speak, saying that “giving a platform to someone whose views are in direct opposition to these principles undermines UVU’s commitment to being ‘a place for you.’” A reconsideration, the petition said, would champion “a campus environment where every student feels welcome and represented.”
The petition had garnered nearly 1,000 supporters and more than 50 comments as of early Wednesday afternoon.
In those comments, many raised support for the petition, with one criticizing the campus for bringing what they described as an “alt-right influencer to a college campus” and another saying that “hosting him is despicable.”
This is a developing story and will update on air and online as more information is released.
