Charlie Kirk, the founder of conservative group Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, organizers and law enforcement said. In the 24 hours before the attack, Kirk posted and spoke publicly about his Christian faith and about the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, whom he had said should be used to politicize criminal-justice failures.
Kirk was taking part in "The American Comeback Tour" when he debated students under a tent on the university lawn. Video and eyewitness accounts show he referenced passages from Corinthians and argued for what he described as extrabiblical evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "It’s not just intrabiblical evidence, but extrabiblical evidence that Jesus Christ was a real person, he lived a perfect life, he was crucified, died and rose on the third day, and he is Lord and God over all," Kirk told the audience moments before he was fatally shot.
Kirk’s last post on X addressed the killing of Zarutska and criticized what he said were policy failures that allowed repeat offenders to remain free. "If we want things to change, it’s 100% necessary to politicize the senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska because it was politics that allowed a savage monster with 14 priors to be free on the streets to kill her," he wrote, attaching a video of his analysis and a response to a critic.
During the UVU appearance, the final person to ask Kirk a question was identified by media as Hunter Kozak, a 29-year-old mathematics student who goes by Hunter Stax online. Kozak asked, "Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?" According to accounts of the exchange, Kirk responded that the number was "too many," and Kozak said the number was five. Kirk then asked for clarification, questioning whether the figure was "counting or not counting gang violence." Those were his final words before a shot rang out.
Law enforcement officials collected evidence at the scene and initiated a manhunt for the suspected shooter. An FBI agent was photographed searching the area the following day as investigators canvassed the campus and reviewed video and witness statements.
Kirk had also posted and spoken in recent days about the September killing of Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina, and had drawn comparisons between the response to her death and other high-profile killings. Surveillance footage from the Charlotte light-rail system captured the suspect in that case making a remark that was cited in coverage of the attack, and Kirk referenced that footage in his public comments.
Friends and colleagues reacted to the killing by sharing their last messages with Kirk and attending memorials. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted a screenshot of a final text exchange with Kirk in which Kirk wrote, "Thank you so much. Just landed," and added, "Event I think is going to be a win." A Daily Wire reporter also shared direct messages with Kirk in which he acknowledged trying "to be better and just mute the noise." Memorials for Kirk have been held in multiple U.S. cities and abroad.
Turning Point USA said Kirk was known for debating students on college campuses and for frequently discussing faith and politics in public appearances. University officials temporarily locked down the UVU campus after the shooting and cooperated with investigators.
Authorities have continued their investigation into the shooting, reviewing footage and witness statements and following leads. Officials have identified a suspect in the killing, and law enforcement agencies involved in the response have been providing updates as inquiries proceed.
Kirk, 31, built a national profile as a conservative organizer and commentator who combined campus activism with media appearances. His death has reverberated through conservative political circles, where leaders have pledged to continue public events, and among students and faculty at UVU who witnessed the violence and its aftermath.
Further details about the shooting, the identity and motive of the suspect, and any charging decisions will be released by investigators as they become available, officials said.