Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist and prominent ally of former President Donald Trump, was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, witnesses and officials said.
The incident occurred during an American Comeback Tour event attended by about 3,000 people. Kirk was struck once in the neck and collapsed from the stage, according to accounts from attendees. Law enforcement officials said they believe the shot was fired from a roof of a nearby building roughly 100 to 200 yards from the venue.
Eyewitnesses described immediate panic after the gunfire. "Me and my buddies were having a good time just listening to what was going on and we just saw it, heard a loud shout, loud bang and then I saw his body actually in slow motion kind of fall over," said Porter LaFerber, a Utah Valley University student who told BBC Radio 4 he was about 50 feet from the stage. He said he filmed Kirk moments before the shot and then hid behind a concrete terrace before fleeing to safety.
Another attendee who identified herself to Reuters as Danielle said she had been about 15 feet from Kirk and described the scene as "horrible," adding that people screamed and tried to decide whether it was safe to run. Videos shared on social media show the scramble as people dropped to the ground and then rushed toward exits.
Former U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz, who was at the event with his daughter, told Fox News that "the shot came straight at him," and that people immediately hit the deck and scattered. Adam Bartholomew, an interviewer who had been speaking to counter-protesters outside the event, said people initially dropped to the floor and that several were in tears.
Emma Pitts, a reporter for the Deseret News who attended the event, said she witnessed the moment Kirk was struck and told the BBC, "I'll never get the image out of my head." Multiple witnesses expressed surprise at what they described as limited security screening at the venue. The university provided six security officers for the talk in addition to Kirk's private security detail, according to local reports; several attendees said bags were not searched.
Phil Lyman, a former Utah state representative who said he had handed out caps on stage with Kirk before the event, told the BBC that the shooting was traumatic for the many students who witnessed it. "3,000 kids basically watched somebody shot right in front of them, it's really traumatic," he said.
Law enforcement and emergency services responded to the scene; officials have not publicly released the names of any suspects and have not detailed a motive. Investigators have said they are treating the shooting as a targeted attack based on the belief the projectile came from a nearby rooftop, and searches of surrounding buildings were reported soon after the incident.
Kirk had been touring on a campaign-style schedule for his American Comeback Tour, and he is a well-known figure in conservative media and politics. Local university officials and law enforcement agencies have been asked for comment about the shooting and the security arrangements for the event; the BBC and other outlets reported they sought comment from Utah Valley University.
Authorities have urged anyone with information or video of the incident to come forward to assist the investigation. The shooting has prompted renewed discussion about security at political events and on college campuses, but officials cautioned that the probe is ongoing and urged the public to rely on confirmed information as investigators work to locate those responsible and determine the full circumstances of the attack.