A 31-year-old TPUSA leader Charlie Kirk was shot and assassinated in cold blood Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump confirmed in a statement.
“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!”
A suspect accused of fatally shooting Kirk is in custody, FBI Director Kash Patel announced on X.
“The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody. Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with @fbi,” Patel said in a post. The investigation is ongoing.
Hours after announcing that a “subject” was in custody, FBI Director Kash Patel clarified late Wednesday that the individual has been released.
“Following interrogation by law enforcement, the subject has been released,” Patel said in a statement.
The manhunt for the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination now continues.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk as a “political assassination,” warning that the nation is in crisis.
“Our nation is broken,” Cox said, pointing to a string of recent assassination attempts, including the one targeting former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pa.
“At this point, there is no information that would lead us to believe that there is a second person involved,” Cox said.
Law enforcement officials said at the press conference that the suspect taken into custody after the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk is currently being interviewed. Authorities noted the only available footage of the incident comes from Utah Valley University security cameras, which they described as poor in quality.
“The only information we have on the suspect, the possible shooter, is taken from closed-circuit TV (CCTV) here on 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,” said Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety.
The assassin was “dressed in all dark clothing.”
The shots were fired from a campus building about 200 yards from where the event was taking place. According to the campus police chief, six officers were stationed at the event alongside Kirk’s security team, with roughly 3000 people in attendance at the time of the shooting.
Kirk, invited by a student group, had been answering questions about transgender violence from the audience when the gunfire erupted.
The flag at the White House North Lawn was lowered to half-staff at 5:20 pm.
House Speaker Mike Johnson called the shooting death of Charlie Kirk “detestable,” condemning the attack as an assault on democratic values.
“Utterly devastating,” Johnson said in an official statement. “Charlie was a close friend and confidant. He will be sorely missed by so many. Every political leader must loudly and clearly decry this violence. Our prayers go out to his wife and young children. May he rest in peace.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wednesday he was “shocked” by the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
“Political violence of any kind and against any individual is unacceptable and completely incompatible with American values,” Jeffries said in a statement. “We pray for his family during this tragedy.”
At 18, Charlie Kirk helped launch Turning Point USA in 2012, quickly emerging as one of the most visible conservative activists of his generation. Over the years, he built a sprawling network of nonprofit groups that became central to Republican voter outreach, particularly among students and faith communities.
Kirk’s stop at Utah Valley University marked the kickoff of his 14-city fall American Comeback Tour, a series of events built around his trademark “Prove Me Wrong” table, where he invited students and critics alike to challenge his views in open debate.
This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.
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Charlie Kirk was admired & respected by many including myself. His work with the youth and universities was ground breaking.
He will be missed by all.
My heartfelt condolences & prayers go up to Our Lord for his beautiful wife & children.
May Charlie Kirk R. I. P.
God bless Charlie & his family