Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was hospitalized in critical condition on Wednesday after being shot during a college event in Utah, according to a law enforcement official who spoke with The Associated Press. Utah Valley University confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
Videos posted to social media captured the harrowing moment. The footage shows Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while seated under a white tent featuring the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” Suddenly, a single gunshot can be heard, and Kirk is seen raising his right hand as a heavy flow of blood begins to pour from the left side of his neck. Shocked attendees can be heard gasping and screaming as chaos erupts, with many rushing to flee the scene. The Associated Press verified that the videos were filmed at the Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus.
Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA, confirmed the severity of the incident. “We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” she said.
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Divided Reactions and Rising Tensions
Kirk had been participating in a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization when the shooting occurred. The event itself had already stirred controversy among students and faculty members on campus. A petition urging university administrators to prevent Kirk from speaking had gathered nearly 1,000 signatures.
In response to criticism, Utah Valley University issued a statement last week citing First Amendment protections and stressing its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”
Kirk himself had acknowledged the backlash during his visit to Utah, posting on X that local media coverage of his appearances showed just how much debate his presence was sparking. “What’s going on in Utah?” he wrote alongside screenshots of news clips.
According to university officials, a “single shot” was fired at Kirk before security detained a suspect.
National Response and Condemnation
The shooting immediately drew widespread condemnation from both political parties. Former President Donald Trump was among the first to respond, writing on Truth Social, “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!”
Lawmakers across the political spectrum joined in expressing concern, offering prayers and support for Kirk’s recovery. The attack underscored a troubling rise in politically motivated violence that has affected Americans of various affiliations.
Recent incidents include the assassination of a Minnesota state legislator and her husband in June, the firebombing of a parade in Colorado intended to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the home of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. One of the most notorious recent examples was the shooting of former President Trump during a campaign rally last year.
Eyewitness Accounts
Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who attended the event, described what he saw in an interview on Fox News Channel. “It seemed like it was a close shot,” Chaffetz said, appearing visibly shaken. He explained that he had heard one shot and saw Kirk collapse backward.
Chaffetz also expressed concern about the level of security present at the gathering. He noted there was only a light police presence and that Kirk had some security, though not enough in his view. “Utah is one of the safest places on the planet,” he said. “And so we just don’t have these types of things.”
The Rise of Turning Point USA
Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, at just 18 years old, alongside tea party activist William Montgomery in suburban Chicago. The organization’s mission was to promote conservative ideas on college campuses, advocating for low taxes and limited government. Success was not immediate, but Kirk’s energy and confrontational style in debates with liberals gradually won him recognition from a network of influential conservative donors.
Initially hesitant about Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Turning Point USA shifted to strongly supporting him after he secured the Republican nomination in 2016. During the general election, Kirk worked as a personal aide to Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of the former president.
This role propelled Kirk into the national spotlight. He quickly became a frequent presence on cable news, where he embraced the cultural debates dominating American politics and often spoke highly of then-President Trump. Both Trump and his son praised Kirk and regularly participated in Turning Point USA’s conferences, cementing the group’s influence on young conservative activists.
Charlie Kirk in Critical Condition
The shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University has shaken political and academic communities alike, drawing attention to growing tensions surrounding free speech, campus activism, and the troubling rise in political violence across the nation. With Kirk in critical condition and a suspect now in custody, the incident marks another alarming moment in America’s polarized climate.
