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Was a sniper involved in Charlie Kirk shooting? First details on suspect emerge
Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump ally and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, on Wednesday.
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, has died after he was shot at during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, on Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social.
Follow latest updates on Charlie Kirk death here
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!,” the president wrote.
Was Charlie Kirk shot by a sniper?
Charlie Kirk was shot from a campus building from a distance of about 200 yards, CNN reported. Several people on X began to call it a sniper attack given the distance of the shot involved.
Also Read | ‘Why Charlie Kirk was shot’: UVU shooting raises questions
“It's now being reported that Charlie Kirk was shot from 200 yards away, so likely a sniper attack,” a person had said. Another remarked “A Horrific Scene today at the American Comeback Tour, Charlie Kirk was shot by a sniper.”
“Nobody wants to address this, but Charlie Kirk’s death proves we’ve crossed a line we can’t uncross. When campus debates end in sniper fire, we’re not having political disagreements anymore, this is a war,” said another.
A paper titled Index of snipers' shooting capability notes “Foreign statistics data analyzing real actions of police snipers have shown that the average distance at which the shooting was carried out was only about 65 – 70 m. The longest distances were about 400 m and most of the actions took place at a distance shorter than 100 m.” Two hundred yards, which is the distance Kirk's shooter was at, translates to 182.22 meters.
While social media speculation suggests that Charlie Kirk was shot from a distance consistent with a sniper attack, this has not been independently verified by HT.com.
Has the suspect been caught?
While an earlier notification said that the suspect was in custody, it has now been shared that the authorities are yet to apprehend someone for the crime.
Utah Valley University spokesperson Scott Trotter, said in a statement, “On September 10, 2025, at 12:20 a single shot rang out in the quad near the food court on the Utah Valley University Orem Campus as Mr. Charlie Kirk began speaking at his planned rally. We can confirm that Mr. Kirk was shot, but we don’t know his condition. The suspect is not in custody. Police are still investigating Campus is closed for the rest of the day,” as per WCNC.
