Political YouTuber Charlie Kirk has died following shooting at Utah Valley University
Charlie Kirk, a prominent right-wing political YouTuber and activist, was killed on Wednesday while giving a speech at Utah Valley University.
In videos posted to social media, Kirk was seated beneath a tent in the campus courtyard when gunfire erupted, striking him mid-speech. Students can be seen in the footage running for cover as the sound of shots rang out.
The event was part of The American Comeback Tour, hosted by Turning Point USA’s chapter at Utah Valley.
“Today at about 12:10, a shot was fired at the visiting speaker, Charlie Kirk,” Utah Valley University said in a statement.
Truth SocialDonald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death in a post: “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!”
Turning Point USA, issued a statement saying that Kirk was “murdered by a gunshot” and asked for people to respect his family’s “privacy and dignity at this time.”
FBI Director Kash Patel revealed a person of interest was in custody, but they were released after being interrogated by law enforcement. The investigation is ongoing at the time of writing.
Kirk, born October 14, 1993, was the founder of Turning Point USA and built a massive following as a conservative influencer. His YouTube channel alone boasts more than 4 million subscribers, with millions more across other platforms.
