箭牌ad819am Conservative U.S. commentator Charlie Kirk has died after shooting at university event, Trump says

U.S. President Donald聽Trump said on Wednesday that U.S. right-wing activist and commentator Charlie聽Kirk has died after being shot during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem.

"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No聽one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United聽States of America better than Charlie," Trump said on Truth聽Social.聽

Multiple media reports also say Kirk has died, and the New York Times said a spokesperson confirmed his death.

Kirk, 31, was an influential ally of Trump and co-founder of Turning Point USA, the largest conservative youth organization in the country.

He was transported to a hospital and underwent surgery, according to a university spokesperson.聽A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that he was in critical condition.聽

Video of the incident circulating on social media showed Kirk addressing a large outdoor crowd when a loud crack that sounded like a gunshot rang out. Kirk can be seen briefly moving his hand to his neck as he falls off his chair, sending the attendees running.

In another clip, blood can be seen gushing from聽Kirk's neck immediately after the shot. Reuters has not confirmed the authenticity of the videos.

"A shot was fired from a nearby building," a university spokesperson told Reuters in an email.

Local TV station KSL-TV aired video of an older man wearing a blue shirt being led away by police following the attack.

"We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving聽Charlie聽Kirk聽at Utah Valley University," FBI Director Kash Patel said on X. "Our thoughts are with聽Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected."

Reactions to shooting

Kirk, an activist and the founder of conservative student group Turning Point USA, played a key role in driving youth support for Trump last November. His events at college campuses nationwide typically draw large crowds.

"WE. ARE. SO. BACK. Utah Valley University is FIRED UP and READY for the first stop back on the American Comeback Tour,"聽Kirk聽had written on X ahead of the event.

Kirk has been an effective voice for the conservative movement. He has 5.2 million followers on X and hosts a popular podcast and radio program, The Charlie Kirk Show.聽He has also recently co-hosted Fox & Friends聽on Fox News.

Trump called for prayers following the shooting: "We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom," he posted on Truth Social.

Both Republican and Democratic politicians expressed support for Kirk following the shooting.

A crowd of people run away. Many look scared or nervous, and some are looking behind them at a point in the distance in the middle of the image.

People run after a shot was fired at U.S. right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk during a Utah Valley University speaking event in Orem, Utah, U.S. September 10, 2025. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via Reuters)

"Political violence is NEVER acceptable," Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, said on X. "My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family."

Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre also responded on social media, writing on X, "We must all strongly denounce the shooting of聽Charlie聽Kirk. Political violence is NEVER justified."

Speaking event had mixed reception

Kirk's speaking event at Utah Valley University had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition urging university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures.聽

Kirk was sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans, "The American Comeback" and "Prove Me Wrong," and addressing a crowd at the Sorensen Center courtyard when the shot was fired.聽

Police cars sit at the side of a road where other cars are also parked. A fire truck is visible beyond them.

Police and first responders' vehicles appear at the scene after Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

"As soon as I saw Charlie go back, you realize that it was a shot," Jason Chaffetz, a former U.S. representative for Utah's third congressional district, told The Associated Press. "It wasn't as if there was a whole bunch of gunfire. It was one shot."

The crowd scattered in the wake of the shooting. Police he since cordoned off the scene.

While the motive for the shooting is unknown, the United States is undergoing its most sustained period of聽political violence聽since the 1970s. Reuters has documented more than 300 cases of politically motivated violent acts since Trump supporters聽attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.