Conservative activist and popular influencer Charlie Kirk, 31, was fatally shot on Wednesday, September 10, during an appearance at a campus event in Utah. The shooting happened around 12:20 pm local time during a student Q&A at UVU in Orem, per a statement from Utah Valley University (UVU).
Follow latest updates on Charlie Kirk's death here
"There was a single shot fired from the top of a nearby building about 200 yards away," the statement said.
Kirk grew up in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. He was the CEO of Turning Point USA, and became popular on YouTube and X for his unapologetic conservative opinions.
What we know about Charlie Kirk’s parents
Kirk’s mother is a mental health counselor, Baptist News reported, citing the 2022 book Raising Them Right. His late father, Robert W. Kirk, ran his own architecture firm.
Read More | Charlie Kirk's beliefs: His opinions on religion, women, LGBTQ, racism and gun violence explained
Kirk is believed to have shared a very close relationship with President Donald Trump since the 2016 election. He was originally a Ted Cruz supporter, but later went on to become one of Trump’s most loyal supporters. Trump hailed Kirk as a “warrior of light” in 2018, the Chicago Tribune reported. He was one of very few people who golfed with Trump at Mar-a-Lago two days before the 2025 inauguration, according to The New York Times.
{{/usCountry}}Kirk is believed to have shared a very close relationship with President Donald Trump since the 2016 election. He was originally a Ted Cruz supporter, but later went on to become one of Trump’s most loyal supporters. Trump hailed Kirk as a “warrior of light” in 2018, the Chicago Tribune reported. He was one of very few people who golfed with Trump at Mar-a-Lago two days before the 2025 inauguration, according to The New York Times.
{{/usCountry}}After Kirk’s murder, Trump mourned the loss by calling him a “great” and “legendary” person in a social media post. Meanwhile, FBI director Kash Patel has revealed that a previously detained "subject" in the Charlie Kirk shooting has been released. “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency,” he said in a post on X.
Read More | Charlie Kirk killed: Past instances when Turning Point USA founder was threatened
Free speech groups have condemned the shooting that killed Kirk. “Political violence is never an acceptable response to speech,” FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said in a statement, according to CNN. Violence “has no place in our democracy, and campuses must be safe spaces for dialogue across a wide range of political views,” said PEN America.