Conservative activist Charlie Kirk died on Wednesday after being shot in the neck during a speaking event, Turning Point USA confirmed.
Kirk was shot Wednesday afternoon while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
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Kirk was transported to the hospital in critical condition immediately after the shooting, and died of his injuries just hours after the shooting took place.
Turning Point USA, the conservative activist organization Kirk co-founded, confirmed his death in a statement later on Wednesday.
"It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gunshot that took place during Turning Point USA's "The American Comeback Tour" campus event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025," the organization's statement read.
The shooting occurred about 20 minutes after Kirk began speaking, at roughly 12:10 local time. Kirk "was hit and taken from the location by his security," Utah Valley University said in a statement.
Videos posted on social media show the moment of the shooting in the Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus. A single shot is heard, and Kirk, who was seated under a tent and holding a microphone, can be seen reaching for his bleeding neck.
School officials told Scripps News Salt Lake City gunshots were fired from the top of a building on campus approximately 200 yards from where Kirk was speaking.
According to an emergency alert issued by the school, the incident involved a single gunshot.
Orem, Utah, Mayor David Young said the shooter was still at large as of Wednesday afternoon. Authorities are continuing to search for the suspect. The city's residents are not under shelter in place orders while the search goes on.
Police initially announced they had apprehended one person at the scene of the shooting, who was later determined not to be the suspect.
Other details about the suspected shooter or any of their motivations are not yet clear.
Police say they are continuing to investigate the shooting.
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Kirk was the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a youth organization founded to advance conservative politics on American college and high school campuses.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for prayers for Kirk.
"A great guy from top to bottom," President Trump wrote. "GOD BLESS HIM!"
Utah's Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said he had been briefed on the shooting and said "those responsible will be held fully accountable."
Utah Valley University is in Orem, Utah, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. It is the largest public university in the state, with nearly 47,000 students.
The campus was closed and classes were canceled on Wednesday. School officials told those on campus to shelter in place until police could come to escort them to safety.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
