Utah: Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk shot at Utah has sent shockwaves across the U.S.
The 31-year-old activist and ally of Donald Trump was fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University, with authorities calling it a suspected political assassination.
The attack occurred at Utah Valley University in Orem during Kirk’s appearance with an audience of thousands.
A single shot, believed to originate from a rooftop, brought the event to chaos.
Cellphone videos show the moment Kirk was hit. Witnesses describe immediate panic and confusion.
Authorities are in full manhunt mode. Two individuals were detained but later released. Commissioner Beau Mason of Utah’s Department of Public Safety confirmed that the shooter remains on the run.
In his response, President Trump ordered U.S. flags flown at half-staff and vowed to bring perpetrators and those supporting political violence to justice through a video message on Truth Social.
Images from rescue operations show helicopters evacuating the wounded after Charlie Kirk Shot.
The university police, local law enforcement, and Kirk’s private security team are coordinating the response.
The motive is unclear, but officials say political violence has been rising in the U.S. with increasing frequency of threats against public figures.
Kirk’s critics point out the hostile rhetoric practiced in political discourse may have contributed to today’s atrocity.