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Charlie Kirk shooting: Old man in video is not the shooter, police say
Right-wing influencer and staunch Donald Trump supporter Charlie Kirk was shot on Wednesday at an event at Utah University.
Right-wing influencer and staunch Donald Trump supporter Charlie Kirk was shot on Wednesday at an event at Utah University. The 31-year-old was shot near his neck, Desert News reported. He has been hospitalized now.
A video of an elderly man being detained at the scene surfaced on social media. The police later determined that a person who was taken into custody after the shooting was not actually the shooter, according to Scott Trotter, a university spokesman, NYT reported.
Christine Nelson, from Utah Valley University police, confirmed only that "we did have shots fired. We've asked people to shelter in place."
“What we know currently is that Charlie Kirk was about 20 minutes into his presentation when we heard shots fired from a nearby building and to the best of our knowledge he was hit and taken with his security team away from the premises, and the courtyard was cleared,” a UVU spokeswoman said, according to NBC News.
President Donald Trump and JD Vance asked their followers to pray for Kirk. “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” the president wrote on Truth Social.
“Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father,” Vance wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
Gov Spencer Cox of Utah said on social media that he is being briefed by law enforcement ‘following the violence directed at Charlie Kirk during his visit to Utah today’.
“Those responsible will be held fully accountable,” Cox added.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said that he is praying for ‘my friend Charlie Kirk’ adding that the Justice Department ‘is actively investigating this senseless act of violence’.
FBI Director Kash Patel said, “We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.”
“Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response,” Patel added.
