Charlie Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, the largest and most influential conservative youth organization in the U.S., was killed Wednesday during an event in Utah.
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. "No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"
Kirk, 31, was shot in his neck during a forum with students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. A video from the event showed Kirk bleeding heavily from an apparent gunshot wound to his neck.
"It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered," TPUSA wrote in a statement on X. "May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior, who suffered and died for Charlie.
"We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers. We ask that you respect their privacy and dignity at this time."
Kirk is survived by his wife of four years, Erika, and children Mia Grace, 3, and James Charles, 1.
"Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," Erika Kirk wrote on X.
FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X a suspect tied to the assassination of Kirk was in custody, but later released.
"The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement," Patel wrote. "Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency."
University spokesperson Ellen Treanor said Kirk was struck about 20 minutes after he began speaking on campus, according to The New York Times. She said the shooter fired from the Losee Center, a building about 200 yards away.
Treanor said Kirk was taken away by his security team. Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for TPUSA, confirmed that Kirk had been shot in the neck.
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said during a news conference that aired live on Newsmax and the Newsmax2 free online streaming platform that the suspected shooter was spotted on top of a building behind the crowd through CCTV footage. Multiple video clips circulating on social media showed a person running on a rooftop behind the crowd.
"The only information we have on the suspect, the shooter, is taken from closed circuit TV here on campus," Mason said. "We do have that. We're analyzing it. But it is security camera footage that you can kind of guess what the quality of that is.
"But we do know, [the suspect was] dressed in all dark clothing. But we don't have much better description other than that."
Cellphone video clips of the incident circulating on social media showed Kirk addressing a large outdoor crowd when a loud crack that sounded like a gunshot rang out. One video appeared to show Kirk's head jerking back as he delivered remarks while sitting under a tent with the slogan "The American Comeback" printed on it. Kirk can be seen briefly moving his hand to his neck as he falls off his chair.
The event was the first of a 15-stop itinerary on what was billed as the "American Comeback Tour." In recent years, Kirk had made college campus stops a centerpiece of his messaging, encouraging students and the general public to ask him questions directly in a debate-style format. At the time of the shooting, Kirk was sitting at a "Prove Me Wrong" table, where he answers questions from the crowd.
Kirk was one of the most prominent Trump supporters. He gained millions of followers through TPUSA, an organization established in 2012 that advocates for conservative politics on high school and university campuses.
"In honor of Charlie Kirk, a truly Great American Patriot, I am ordering all American Flags throughout the United States lowered to Half Mast until Sunday evening at 6 P.M.," Trump wrote in another Truth Social post.
Several of Trump's top advisers were close with or admired Kirk, the Times reported. Late Wednesday afternoon, the mood at the White House in the wake of the shooting was of shock and sorrow. Trump met with top officials in the Oval Office. Elsewhere in the building, aides and staff members, some who appeared to have been crying, tended to their work while, in the background, news reports blared about the shooting.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.