Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, addressed several hundred restaurant industry leaders in Salt Lake City about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship just hours before he was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
Wade Allen, president of Utah-founded fast-casual chain Costa Vida, said Kirk’s remarks at the annual Restaurantology summit, hosted by the Savory Fund, were personal rather than political. Allen told Fox News Digital that Kirk and Savory Fund co-founder and managing director Andrew K. Smith spoke about the risks, dedication and hard work that come with building a business.
"There was nothing political about the conversation," Allen said. He recalled Kirk emphasizing that entrepreneurship is a journey with good days and bad days and quoting a line that resonated with many attendees: "this too will pass." Allen described the remarks as "very powerful" at the time and said it felt "surreal" when news of the shooting began to spread after the conference broke for lunch.
According to Allen, Kirk had left the event roughly an hour and 15 minutes before his scheduled appearance on the stage when reports of the shooting started to emerge. Smith returned to the stage to announce the news, and Allen said the room went "as quiet as a church," with the remainder of the summit taking on a somber tone.
Kirk, who was widely known for his national political activism, appeared to focus on entrepreneurship during his appearance at the Restaurantology summit. Allen and other attendees said his message resonated with many in the room because the restaurant industry includes a large number of entrepreneurs.
"His message resonated so well," Allen said, adding that he did not know Kirk personally and was "still grappling" with the loss. "It was super sad, regardless of beliefs, regardless of political setting, to be so near a life that's gone for a reason that just doesn't make a lot of sense," he said.
Organizers of the summit and law enforcement have not provided additional public details about the shooting in the account cited by attendees. The remarks to restaurant leaders were reported by Fox News Digital, which covered reactions from those present at the Salt Lake City event.
Attendees and industry figures said the unexpected proximity to the violence left many at the summit reflecting on the fragility of life and the shared challenges of entrepreneurship. The event’s organizers and participating industry leaders adjusted the remainder of the program in response to the news, according to those who were present.