Charlie Kirk death: ‘I will never let your legacy die,’ says Kirk’s wife Erica

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University. Authorities had not located the gunman more than 30 hours after the attack.

The shooting: Kirk, head of the country’s largest conservative youth movement which he co-founded in 2012 at the age of 18, was speaking under a tent while wearing a white “Freedom” t-shirt. The shot rang out during a Q&A session on topics including mass shooters and transgender issues. He collapsed with a neck wound and was declared dead by Trump shortly thereafter.

The shooter: Officials said the gunman used a high-powered Mauser 30-06 bolt-action rifle, firing from a rooftop about 185 metres away while lying prone to increase accuracy. Security footage showed a young man in dark clothing, a baseball cap, an eagle/flag design on his top, and Converse-style shoes. Palm prints were found at the exit point, and the rifle was discarded near a carpark. The FBI has offered a $100,000 reward for information, but the manhunt continues.

Motive: Forensic evidence from the scene is being analysed, but no official motive has been released. Utah Governor Spencer Cox warned that social media was flooded with "a tremendous amount of disinformation," citing foreign interference, particularly by China, using bots to spread discord. Kirk was a prominent Republican youth figure and close Trump ally, but also controversial for Democrats and occasionally at odds with far-right peers, including Nick Fuentes.

Political reaction: Politicians across the spectrum condemned the killing and called for unity. Trump initially blamed "the radical left," but later described Kirk as "an advocate of nonviolence," adding, "That's the way I'd like to see people respond."

Honours and funeral: The Trump administration is treating Kirk as a national hero. Trump announced he would posthumously award Kirk the Medal of Freedom and confirmed he would attend the funeral, saying, "I have an obligation to do that. Whenever it is, I'm going." Kirk’s coffin was flown to his home city of Phoenix on Vice President JD Vance’s official plane, with footage showing Vance placing his hands on the casket.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Politicians from across the spectrum were quick to condemn the killing, with many urging Americans to overcome growing divisions.

Trump’s initial response on Wednesday was to blame "the radical left." By Thursday, he had softened his tone, describing Kirk as "an advocate of nonviolence."

"That's the way I'd like to see people respond," he added.

The Trump administration is treating Kirk as a national hero. On Thursday, Trump announced he would posthumously award Kirk America’s highest civilian honour, the Medal of Freedom.

Kirk’s coffin was flown to his home city of Phoenix aboard Vice President JD Vance’s official plane. Footage showed Vance placing his hands on the casket as it was carried onto Air Force Two.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Authorities have said that the forensic evidence from the scene, which is being examined by crime laboratories in several locations, is all that has so far been made public.

No official explanation has been offered regarding the motive.

In a briefing late on Thursday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox warned that social media was being flooded with "a tremendous amount of disinformation." He added that "our adversaries want violence" and specifically cited China as using bots to sow discord online.

Kirk was a prominent figure on the Republican right and a particularly close ally of Trump, helping him secure significant gains among young voters in last November’s election.

However, Kirk held multiple far-right views, making him highly controversial among Democrats. He also occasionally clashed with other figures on the Republican right—some, including white nationalist leader Nick Fuentes, claimed he was not hard-right enough.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: The US Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, said on X on Thursday that “foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country” and confirmed he had instructed consular officials to “undertake appropriate action” against those judged to be “praising, rationalising or making light of” Charlie Kirk’s death on social media.

“In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country. I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action. Please feel free to bring such comments by foreigners to my attention so that the @StateDept can protect the American people,” he wrote on X.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: For university student Dave Sanchez, witnessing the murder of Trump supporter Charlie Kirk during a campus event felt like seeing his own brother shot.

"It still makes me sick to my stomach," said Sanchez, who returned to campus on Thursday to mourn the Republican figurehead, gunned down while addressing a large audience of students.

"We watch him all the time and so it really does feel like one of your own family members, your own brother's been killed," added Sanchez, an accounting student whose father immigrated to the United States from Peru.

The 26-year-old had become drawn to Kirk’s social media content and admired his "dedication to faith, family and freedom."

"He did change the political climate on campuses, leading young people to look at conservatism in a different way," said Sanchez, who voted for Donald Trump in both 2020 and 2024, wearing a red "Make America Great Again" cap.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: After the shooting, the suspect leapt from the roof of the campus building and fled into a neighbouring area, abandoning the rifle he had used in a wooded area across the road, officials said.

On Thursday, the woods were cordoned off with yellow tape, while American flags fluttered outside many of the ranch-style houses lining the nearby streets. Originally intended to honour the victims of the 11 September 2001 attacks, residents said the flags now symbolised a trauma much closer to home.

The area’s previously peaceful atmosphere has been disrupted by SWAT teams patrolling the streets and police helicopters circling overhead.

“It can happen anywhere but it’s strange that it happened here,” said homemaker Christy Luque, reflecting the disbelief shared by many of her neighbours. “It’s just a quiet small town.”

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: The campus of Utah Valley University was largely deserted and quiet on Thursday, a stark contrast to the panic and disbelief that erupted just 24 hours earlier when a sniper shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk in front of 3,000 students.

“It’s eerie, tense, quiet,” said McKinley Shinkle, a 25-year-old electrical engineering student, describing the atmosphere on the campus, which has been closed for the remainder of the week.

The fatal shot struck Kirk shortly after he began taking questions from the audience during one of his signature outreach events, where he encourages students to debate contentious issues such as gun control and race.

Witnesses, many struggling with emotion, recounted hearing a loud bang that they initially did not recognise as gunfire. Some were close enough to see blood flow from Kirk’s neck onto the white T-shirt he wore, emblazoned with the word “Freedom.”

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: US investigators announced on Thursday that they had recovered a bolt-action rifle thought to have been used in the politically charged killing of prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Bolt-action rifle: FBI official Robert Bohls described the recovered firearm as "a high-powered, bolt-action rifle". It was discovered in a wooded area close to the Utah shooting site. Although bolt-action weapons fire more slowly than semi-automatic rifles, they are valued for their accuracy. The weapon is currently being examined at an FBI laboratory for evidence.

Model: According to three law enforcement officials quoted by The New York Times, the firearm was an older-model Mauser rifle. Other US media also reported it to be an imported Mauser .30-06 bolt-action rifle. Investigators also found several cartridges at the scene, including a spent round in the chamber of the rifle. Such rifles are commonly used by hunters and marksmen.

Engravings: People familiar with the investigation told Reuters that engravings had been found on the recovered ammunition. Authorities are still analysing these markings, and their meaning remains unclear.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Utah will pursue the death penalty once the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing is apprehended, Governor Spencer Cox said at an evening briefing. Cox also accused foreign nations of attempting to sow unrest in the United States.

“What we’re seeing is our adversaries want violence,” Cox said. “We have bots from Russia, China, all over the world, that are trying to instill disinformation and encourage violence. I would encourage you to ignore those, to turn off those streams and spend a little more time with our families," Bloomberg quoted Cox as saying.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Federal investigators have recovered what they believe to be the rifle used in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a university event in Utah, officials confirmed on Thursday, as the manhunt for the gunman entered its second day.

Robert Bohls, the FBI’s special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City field office, said the high-powered bolt-action rifle was discovered in a wooded area close to Utah Valley University, where the attacker fled after the shooting. The weapon is now being analysed at the bureau’s laboratory, alongside other evidence such as footwear impressions and palm prints collected at the scene.

Authorities said the suspect appeared to be of student age and managed to blend in with the campus crowd before positioning himself on a rooftop to fire. Investigators tracked his movements using security cameras, which showed him entering a stairwell, crossing the roof and later leaping from the building to escape into a nearby residential area.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Utah governor Spencer Cox described the United States as “broken” in the wake of escalating political violence, including the public killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“Our nation is broken,” Cox said, citing violent attacks on both Democrats and Republicans, including the killing of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump, and the firebombing of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s official residence.

“Nothing I say can unite us as a country,” Cox added. “Nothing I can say right now will fix what is broken,” the Associated Press reported.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: US President Donald Trump revealed that Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika, is “absolutely devastated” following the fatal shooting of the conservative activist.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said, “I spoke to Erika his wife and we had a long talk and she is devastated, she's absolutely devastated as you can imagine.” Read full story

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: People gather outside the mortuary where the body of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk was delivered, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: As the manhunt continues for the killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has announced a reward of $100,000 for information leading to an arrest.

"The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Contact 1-800-CALL-FBI and submit photos and video," the bureau said

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Charlie Kirk’s coffin was flown back to his home state of Arizona on Thursday aboard Air Force Two, with Vice President JD Vance marking the conservative activist’s final journey.

Accompanying the flight, Vance’s wife, Usha, disembarked alongside Kirk’s widow, Erika. Both women were dressed in black and wore dark glasses, while the vice president followed a few steps behind in a dark suit.

Air Force Two landed in Phoenix after a brief flight from Salt Lake City, around 40 miles (64 kilometres) from Orem, Utah, where Kirk was assassinated while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: President Donald Trump said he plans to attend the funeral of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead during an event at a university campus in Utah.

“I will be,” Trump told reporters on Thursday at the White House as he left for a trip to New York. “I believe it’s in Arizona. It’s in Arizona, and they’ve asked me to go, and I think I have an obligation to.”

The president is due to travel to the United Kingdom next week, with his departure from Washington scheduled for Tuesday, 16 September. When asked about the timing of the funeral, Trump said he believed it would be “next weekend.”

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Utah governor Spencer Cox said that more than 7,000 tips have been provided to the FBI in the manhunt for Charlie Kirk’s killer. He noted that the agency has not received such a large number of tips since the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates:FBI director Kash Patel personally toured the crime scene at Utah Valley University, reported NBC news.

Patel was present at Thursday evening's press conference alongside state and federal officials, but he did not speak.

Charlie Kirk Death News Updates: Officials released new surveillance video showing the suspect in the assassination of Charlie Kirk in the moments immediately following the shooting.

The video, time-stamped Wednesday at 12:23 pm, captures the individual running across the roof of a campus building before climbing down. Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason confirmed the suspect left behind crucial evidence, including a palm impression and a shoe imprint from what is believed to be Converse sneakers.

After dismounting the building, the suspect is seen crossing a street and disappearing into a wooded area near the university campus. This confirms the previously reported theory that the assailant fled into the woods where the murder weapon, a bolt action rifle, was recovered.