Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, university officials and federal authorities said. Kirk, 31, was struck in the neck as he began a question-and-answer session and was rushed to a hospital, where he later died.
Video circulating on social media showed Kirk falling limp after being struck. Utah Valley University officials said the shot was fired from the top of the Losee Center, about 200 feet away from where Kirk was seated. Law enforcement officers took at least two people into custody during the initial response; both were later released as the investigation continued.
Authorities initially detained an elderly man and later a separate "person of interest," Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Wednesday evening. The FBI subsequently said the later detainee had been released after an interrogation. "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," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.
President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk's death Wednesday on his social-media platform Truth Social, calling Kirk "great, and even legendary," and extending condolences to Kirk's wife and family. Kirk's wife, Erika Kirk, posted a Bible verse from Psalm 46:1 on her X account hours before the shooting. The couple had two young children, a daughter born in 2022 and a son born in May 2024, according to social media posts and family accounts.
Kirk and his wife celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May. The two appeared with their children on the Fox & Friends television program in the weeks before the shooting; a clip shared by Fox News showed their daughter running on the studio floor toward her father.
Erika Kirk, formerly Erika Frantzve, has previously spoken about her upbringing and public life. She represented Arizona in pageants, claiming the Miss Arizona USA title in 2012, and later attended Arizona State University, where she double majored in political science and international relations. Her website describes a ministry program called BIBLEin365 aimed at helping individuals engage with scripture.
Kirk was a prominent conservative commentator and activist who helped found Turning Point USA, an organization that promotes conservative principles on college campuses. He had a national media presence and frequently appeared on cable news and at political events.
University and law enforcement officials said the investigation remained active and asked anyone with information or footage of the shooting to come forward. Police have not publicly identified a suspect or released a motive. Local and federal authorities said they would provide updates as their inquiries continued.
The shooting prompted an immediate campus lockdown and a broad law enforcement response. Initial confusion about suspects reflected the rapid pace of the response and the number of people interviewed and briefly detained as authorities sought to establish what occurred and who was responsible.
Kirk's death drew swift reactions from political figures and media outlets that have followed his career. As investigators continue to piece together the timeline of the attack and the circumstances surrounding the shots fired at the Losee Center, officials emphasized that the probe remained ongoing and urged patience while forensic and witness work proceeded.