Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead on Wednesday at Utah Valley University. The FBI has released photos and video of a “person of interest.”
Authorities said Kirk was speaking at a Turning Point USA debate when a single round was fired from a rooftop. Videos on social media showed Kirk clutching his neck as he collapsed under a white tent. The FBI later recovered a rifle, ammunition, and other evidence, including shoe and palm prints, from a wooded area near the campus.
Newly released footage showed the suspect jumping off a rooftop and fleeing. Officials described him as appearing “college-aged” and able to blend in with students. Police said more than 7,000 tips have already been submitted. Two individuals were briefly detained but later released after investigators confirmed they had no connection.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the killing a “political assassination.” Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff and announced that Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “He was a great guy from top to bottom. God bless him,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the shooting “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible.”
On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha joined Kirk’s widow Erika as they accompanied his casket on Air Force Two from Utah to Arizona. Thousands of supporters waving American flags gathered to pay tribute.
Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18, building it into a major conservative youth organisation with chapters on nearly 4,000 campuses. He became a prominent voice in Trump’s circle and a frequent commentator on television.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
