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Charlie Kirk shooter identified as Michael Mallinson? Here's the truth
Charlie Kirk was shot during an event at Utah Valley University. Shortly afterward, the name Michael Mallinson began circulating online as the alleged shooter.
Conservative activist and Trump ally Charlie Kirk was shot during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Shortly afterward, the name Michael Mallinson began circulating online as the alleged shooter. The claim originated from an X (formerly Twitter) account ‘Fox 11 Reno’, which posted: “Charlie Kirk shooter confirmed to be Michael Mallinson, a registered Democrat in the state of Utah,” alongside a photo of an elderly man.
However, the account quickly retracted the statement, issuing a correction: “CORRECTION: This man is actually Kevin Spitz of Washington, D.C.” As of now, neither name—Michael Mallinson nor Kevin Spitz—has been confirmed by authorities. Hindustan Times has not been able to independently verify the identity of the suspected shooter, and the situation remains under investigation.
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Charlie Kirk shooting
Conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot on Wednesday while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
A shot was fired from a building approximately 200 yards away from the venue during Kirk’s appearance, university officials told CNN.
"At about 12:20 shots were fired from a building about 200 yards from the speaker. To the best of our knowledge, the individual was hit and was taken away immediately by his security personnel," said Ellen Trean, a spokesperson for Utah Valley University.
Eyewitness Eva Terry told CNN that the shooting occurred moments after an attendee asked Kirk a question referencing transgender individuals and mass shootings.
“A kid came up and he asked a question about how many transgender shooters there were, and Charlie gave him another comment. And then he asked one more question, and so the question was about shooters. And before Charlie Kirk could pick up the mic again, that’s when the shot happened," Terry told CNN.
Kirk was rushed to the hospital, though his current condition remains unknown.
Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization Kirk founded, confirmed the incident in a statement to CNN.
"This is an ongoing situation. We can confirm that Charlie Kirk has been shot. He is in the hospital, and we are praying for him at this time,” said Aubrey Laitsch, the organization’s public relations manager.
Authorities have not yet released information about a suspect or a motive.
