Charlie Kirk fatally shot during Utah Valley University event

OREM, Utah (MNTV) — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Thursday, prompting an hours-long lockdown and a search for the gunman, authorities said.

Kirk, 31, was speaking to students as part of TPUSA’s “American Comeback Tour” when a single round struck him near the neck, according to witnesses and campus police. Video posted online shows him collapsing as attendees scrambled for cover.

Utah Valley University police confirmed that shots were fired shortly after 12:20 p.m. local time and said the attack appeared to be “targeted.” Officers later recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle in nearby woods and obtained video of a person of interest, the Associated Press reported. Two people detained early in the investigation were released after being cleared of involvement.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death on Truth Social about two hours after the shooting, calling him “the Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk,” and offering condolences to Kirk’s wife, Erika, and his family.

Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and built it into one of the most influential right-wing youth organizations in the country, known for staging campus debates and national conferences. The UVU gathering was billed as the relaunch of his group’s tour.

Utah’s congressional delegation expressed shock as news of the incident spread. Sen. Mike Lee said he was “tracking the situation closely” and urged prayers for Kirk and students. Other officials called for calm while police secured the area.

Authorities have not released a motive or the name of any suspect. Classes at UVU were canceled for the remainder of the day as law-enforcement agencies, including the FBI and state police, continued their investigation.