What we know
- Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot and killed at an event he was hosting at Utah Valley University in Orem, just north of Provo.
- President Donald Trump initially confirmed Kirk's death in a post on Truth Social.
- Videos circulating online show Kirk, a co-founder of Turning Point USA, recoiling after a shot was heard, with blood pouring from his neck.
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described Kirk’s killing as “a political assassination” in remarks during a news conference.
- FBI Director Kash Patel said tonight that a subject in custody in connection with the shooting was released after being interrogated. The shooter remains at large.
Donald Trump Jr. mourns Kirk's death, calling him 'a brother to me'
Donald Trump Jr., a close friend of Kirk's, mourned the conservative activist's death in a social media post tonight, saying that Kirk "was a brother to me, and I will carry that with me forever."
"I don’t even know how to begin to put into words the loss I am feeling right now over the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Charlie wasn’t just a friend — he was like a little brother to me — and to millions of people around the world — he was a true inspiration," Trump Jr. wrote on X.
"This loss is absolutely devastating — not only for Erika and the kids, but for our country. We’ve lost a leader, a fighter, and a man whose character and conviction were rare. Too rare. To think that his life was cut short by a brutal, heinous, evil act is beyond comprehension. It is horrible and it is heartbreaking," he added.
Utah Valley University president: 'We are shocked and saddened'
Utah Valley University President Astrid S. Tuminez said tonight that she and the university are "shocked and saddened" by Kirk's killing on the campus in Orem earlier today.
"We express our sincere condolences to the Kirk family. We grieve with our students, faculty, and staff who bore witness to this unspeakable tragedy," she said in a statement.
"He was invited by the student group Turning Point USA to speak on our campus. We firmly believe that UVU is a place to share ideas and to debate openly and respectfully," she said. "Any attempt to infringe on those rights has no place here. We do not condone any form of violence at UVU and seek to make our campus a safe place for all."
Hallie Jackson on Kirk’s death: ‘Stunning to so many people across the political spectrum’
NBC News senior Washington correspondent Hallie Jackson reacts to Kirk's death and explains what it means in the political sphere amid a sharp rise in political violence.
Subject said to be connected to killing is released, FBI head says
Around 90 minutes after he announced, "The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody," FBI Director Kash Patel said moments ago that the person 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," Patel wrote.
Shooting witnesses describe lax security measures at event
Justin Hickens says he was standing about 20 yards from Kirk as the influential conservative activist addressed a large crowd at Utah Valley University today. Then, in the middle of Kirk’s remarks, Hickens heard “a big, loud shot.”
When people realized Kirk had been shot, they started running from the outdoor pavilion area, some knocking over barricades as they fled, Hickens said.
Hickens is one of scores of people who had gathered to see Kirk.
At a news conference hours after the shooting, University Police Chief Jeff Long said six police officers were at the event, which about 3,000 people attended. There were “some plainclothes police officers that were in the crowd as well,” he said.
“We train for these things, and you think you have things covered, and these things, unfortunately, they happen,” he said. “You try to get your bases covered, and unfortunately, today we didn’t. Because of that, we had this tragic incident.”
Utah governor asks nation to ‘think about where we are’
Gov. Spencer Cox invoked the founding of the United States of America in condemning what he called the politically motivated killing of Kirk.
He said the leaders of the country and every American need to “think about where we are and where we want to be.”
“To ask ourselves: Is this it? Is this what 250 years has wrought on us? I pray that that’s not the case,” Cox said.
He said that if anyone celebrated the news of Kirk’s shooting, “I would beg you to look in the mirror and to see if you can find a better angel in there somewhere.”
Cox called for prayers for Kirk’s wife and two children.
FBI sets up digital tip line in search for info
The FBI announced it has set up a digital tip line seeking information on the shooting.
A person of interest is in custody, officials have said, but that person has not been publicly identified.
FBI confident person of interest is the shooter, senior official says
A senior FBI official told NBC News that the person of interest Utah authorities announced is the same person FBI Director Kash Patel was referring to in an X post before tonight's news conference.
They are confident the person is the shooter, the official said.
Authorities give mixed answers about suspect but say a person of interest is in custody
While Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason told reporters that a suspect is at large, Gov. Spencer Cox has said a person of interest is being interviewed in connection with Kirk's fatal shooting.
That person is not George Zinn, the man who was initially detained after the shooting but was not a match to the shooter's description, Cox said.
Mason said the only information authorities have about the shooter is from CCTV video from campus.
"We do have that we're analyzing it, but it is security camera footage, so you can kind of guess what the quality of that is," Mason said. "We do know dressed in all dark clothing. We don't have much better description."
'This is a political assassination,' Utah governor says
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described Kirk's killing as "a political assassination" in remarks to reporters.
"Charlie Kirk was, first and foremost, a husband and a dad to young children," Cox said. "He was also very much politically involved, and that's why he was here on campus."
Kirk was on the Utah Valley University campus today to debate ideas in line with his beliefs about the power of free speech, Cox said. He added that that is a constitutional right "foundational to the formation of our country."
"Nothing I say can unite us as a country," Cox said. "Nothing I can say right now can fix what is broken. Nothing I can say can bring back Charlie Kirk."
Person of interest still at large; Utah authorities said
Authorities are still searching for a person of interest, Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason told reporters.
"There was one shot fired, and once one victim, while the suspect is at large," Mason said. "I believe this was a targeted attack towards one individual."
Mason clarified that a man was initially detained but did not match descriptions of the shooter. The man, George Zinn, was booked on a charge of obstruction of justice.
The FBI and the state Department of Public Safety asked the public for any information that could lead to identifying a suspect.
‘Do you run?’ Witnesses who took cover after shooting describe chaos
Taylor Dufur and his wife, Haley Bermingham, were about 30 feet from Kirk when the fatal gunshot rang out, and the first reactions in the crowd near them were to get down.
“We heard the gunshot, and people just started dropping,” Dufur told NBC News’ Tom Llamas by phone during live coverage. He said his biggest concern was lying on top of his wife to protect her.
“I looked over and saw him as he was falling out of his chair, and I saw the blood coming out of his neck,” Dufur said. “It was just — people panicking, kind of chaos.”
Bermingham said that at first she questioned what the sound was, and then a man in front of them started pushing people down, saying, “Everyone get down, get down, that’s a gunshot.”
“And then next thing you know, you’re just trying to look for your exits,” Bermingham said. “He’s saying to stay down, but do you run? Do you stay down, do you crawl? You don’t know what to do.”
The couple are fans of Kirk, and so are their kids. Dufur said everyone in the crowd was having a good time.
“It makes me angry. I do get very angry about it — that someone could have this much hate inside them as they want to take somebody out of his world,” Dufur said
“It’s just sad, as well, because our world is so divided at the moment,” he said. “And I feel like people just need to get along.”
White House lowers flags to half-staff in honor of Kirk
The White House lowered its flags to half-staff within an hour after Trump confirmed Kirk's death.
In addition, Trump issued a proclamation ordering flags to lowered to half-staff at the at all federal buildings, embassies, consular offices and other U.S. government properties abroad until sunset on Sept. 14, 2025.
Charlie Kirk murdered at campus event, Turning Point USA says
Kirk was "murdered by a gunshot" at Utah Valley University, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA confirmed in a statement to NBC News.
"We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers," the organization said. "We ask that you please respect their privacy and dignity in this time."
Students offered police escorts as search for shooter continues
Students who are still on campus are being offered police escorts as authorities continue to search for the shooter.
"Police will come and escort you out of the building," the university wrote on X. "Public transportation available at Orem Station by pedestrian bridge."
Trump says Charlie Kirk is dead
Charlie Kirk is dead, Trump said on Truth Social.
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," Trump wrote. "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," Trump added. "Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"
Witness: ‘I saw the shot, heard it, then just dropped to the ground’
Johnson on Kirk shooting: ‘Political violence has become all too common’
House Speaker Mike Johnson called the shooting “detestable.” He condemned political violence, saying, “This is not who we are.”
No suspect in custody, university says
Authorities do not have a suspect in custody, Utah Valley University spokesperson Ellen Treanor said.
The school had said earlier in an alert that police had detained a suspect.
No security to get into Kirk's event, bystander says
Despite the large crowd Kirk drew to Utah Valley University, witness Tyler McGettigan said he was surprised he didn't have to pass any security to get in.
The event required a ticket with a scannable code, which McGettigan told NBC News he printed out and brought with him. But he said he didn't need it to get into the amphitheater where Kirk was speaking.
"I was expecting when I got here that I'd have to pass through some kind of security, but that just wasn't a thing," he said. "No one checked the barcode or the QR code. There was no checkpoint to get in. It was literally anyone could walk in if they wanted."
Kirk was shot from nearby building, university says
A spokesperson for Utah Valley University said in a statement that Kirk was shot from the university's Losee Center, roughly 200 feet away from where he was sitting.
Vance shares photo with Kirk
Vice President JD Vance shared a photo of him with Kirk, as well as Donald Trump Jr. and political aide Andy Surabian, as he asked for prayers for Kirk.
Kirk is a well-known conservative activist who is close with key members of Trump's political operation, including Vance and Donald Trump Jr. And Kirk helped push for Vance to be chosen as Trump's running mate, NBC News reported at the time.
Utah Valley University cancels classes, tells people to leave campus
Campus is closed and classes are canceled until further notice at Utah Valley University.
The school urged everyone to leave campus immediately in a post on X following the shooting.
Kirk is shot and hospitalized, Turning Point USA says
A spokesperson for Turning Point USA confirmed to NBC News that Kirk has been shot.
"He is in the hospital, and we are praying for him at this time," the organization said.
Witness describes a loud shot and 'a bunch of blood'
Justin Hickens, who said he was about 20 yards from the shooting, told NBC News’ Tom Llamas that he saw Kirk get hit after a gunshot rang out during the event at Utah Valley University.
“We heard a big loud shot, I saw a bunch of blood come out of Charlie, I saw his body kind of kick back and go limp, and everybody dropped to the ground,” Hickens said.
After a few moments, people started running out of the outdoor pavilion area, knocking over barricades. Hickens said he slowed down once he realized no more shots were being fired and he felt safe.
"I kind of turned around, and all of a sudden I saw officers walking with this very elderly gentleman with white hair," Hickens said. "They had him arrested, they had him on his knees, and he was screaming about his rights and all that stuff. They cuffed him and put him away."
There were no metal detectors to get into the event, Hickens said, though there was security by Kirk himself.
Trump has often complimented, appeared with Kirk
President Donald Trump has often spoken favorably about Kirk, including multiple times on the campaign trail last year.
During a rally in Washington the day before he was sworn in to a second term in January, Trump told attendees: "Charlie Kirk is here. And I want to thank Charlie. Charlie is fantastic. I mean, this guy."
A few weeks before, during a rally in Las Vegas on Dec. 22, 2024, Trump called Kirk "incredible," adding that he "is a special talent, and he’s out there fighting."
The president, then a candidate for the White House, also appeared last October at a Turning Point USA political rally in Phoenix.
"I want to express my tremendous gratitude to Charlie Kirk. He’s really an amazing guy. Amazing guy," Trump said.
The president, on the campaign trail last June, also lauded Kirk at a Turning Point Action town hall in Phoenix, saying, "I want to thank a special person, Charlie Kirk, for his tremendous leadership."
Who is Charlie Kirk: A prominent young conservative activist
Kirk is a 31-year-old conservative activist and father of two who helped found Turning Point USA, a prominent nonprofit that activates conservative youth on school campuses.
A well-known supporter of President Donald Trump and a close ally of many in his circle, Kirk spoke at the 2024 presidential convention just days after an assassination attempt on Trump.
Elected officials react to reports of shooting, ask for thoughts and prayers for Kirk family
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle reacted to reports that Charlie Kirk had been shot, with many sending prayers to the Kirk family.
"Pls join me in praying for Charlie Kirk," Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in a post on X.
"Our prayers are with Charlie Kirk," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said, also on X.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wrote in her own post that, "Charlie Kirk has been shot! Pray for him!"
Several other senators, who were in and around the U.S. Capitol during the shooting, reacted to the news.
"Charlie is a very, actually, a very good friend of mine. It's, it scares you to death for he and his family," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters,
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters that news of the shooting was, "shocking and tragic."
"We’re all praying Charlie is going to be okay," Cornyn added.
Among notable Democrats, California Gov. Gavin Newsom also weighed in on X, writing, "The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form."
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., also posted about the shooting, writing on X that the news is "horrific."
"Let’s hope he is well and keep him and his families in your prayers," Gallego added.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., wrote in his own post on X that, "The news that Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking in Utah is shocking and horrible. It’s an example of political violence that has no place in our country."
Kelly added that he and his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was the victim of a shooting in 2010, are "thinking of him and his family."
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., was giving a speech on the Senate floor this afternoon and addressed reports of the shooting, saying that, "we are all horrified watching images and following the news out of Utah, and we are sending all of our thoughts to Mr. Kirk, to his family, to survivors there."
Utah Valley is the state's largest public university
While BYU, the University of Utah and Utah Valley are probably the best-known schools in Utah, UVU calls itself the Beehive State’s biggest public university with more than 46,000 students.
The school was established in 1941 as Central Utah Vocational School and renamed Utah Valley College in 1993.
The Orem institution is about 40 miles south of the state capital, Salt Lake City.
Trump addresses shooting
President Donald Trump just addressed the shooting on his social media site, Truth Social.
"We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot," Trump wrote. "A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!"
Suspect in custody, university says
A suspect is in custody and police are investigating the shooting, Utah Valley University told students in an alert this afternoon.
Videos online show Kirk recoiling after shot heard
Videos circulating across social media show the moment a shot is heard in the crowd.
Kirk was sat in a tent with the "American Comeback Tour" logo when a shot is heard and Kirk physically recoils, slumping down in his seat. Blood is seen flowing down from his neck and the crowd audibly panics and begins to run.
FBI monitoring shooting reports; Vance asks people to pray for Kirk
The FBI is closely monitoring reports of a shooting involving Kirk, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
"Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected," Patel wrote in a post on X. "Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation."
Vice President JD Vance responded to reports that Kirk was shot, encouraging others to "say a prayer" for the right-wing activist in a post on X.
Kirk on campus for 'American Comeback Tour' appearance
Kirk was being hosted by the Utah Valley University chapter of Turning Point USA.
The organization's website shows a series of dates at college campuses across the country. The University of Minesosta at Northrop described it as a "high-energy evening featuring a candid conversation about conservative values."
Kirk was the only person shot, university says
A spokesperson for Utah Valley University said that Kirk was the sole person shot at the event.
Charlie Kirk taken off campus after shots heard, university says
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was about 20 minutes into a presentation when witnesses heard shots fired from a nearby building, a spokesperson for Utah Valley University told NBC News.
The spokesperson said, to the best of the university's knowledge, Kirk was hit and taken with his security team away from the premises, and the courtyard was cleared.