A close friend of Charlie Kirk said the Turning Point USA founder told her he had "no fear" before he was shot and killed Wednesday while speaking at an event in Utah.
Brilyn Hollyhand, a 19-year-old political commentator who said she had been texting with Kirk as he made his way to the Utah stop of his "American Comeback Tour," told Fox News Digital that Kirk was "super energetic and excited" and believed the event would help keep Gen Z engaged in a non-election year. Kirk, 31, was shot while speaking under a tent at Utah Valley University in Orem and was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities said a single shot rang out among the crowd of thousands. Investigators searching the area later recovered a rifle in a nearby wooded area and said the suspect had evaded an initial manhunt. Police have not released the suspect's identity or motive as the investigation continues.
Hollyhand, who described herself as a close friend of Kirk's, said his willingness to hold large-scale events despite threats was not new. "In the 10 years that I've known Charlie," she told Fox, "has he ever been afraid of one day?" She said she had been in green rooms with him when security alerted him to threats and that Kirk repeatedly chose to continue public appearances rather than withdraw.
Kirk, a conservative activist who founded Turning Point USA, drew large audiences on college campuses and conservative events and was a prominent voice among younger conservatives. He is survived by two children. Hollyhand said she planned to carry on aspects of Kirk's work and would speak at a Liberty University event that Kirk had been scheduled to headline.
President Donald Trump, speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday night, praised Kirk as "a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loved so much — the United States of America." Trump called Kirk "a martyr for truth and freedom" and said he was widely respected by young people.
The shooting prompted security reviews at college events and drew national attention to the safety of public political gatherings. Witnesses described chaos after the gunfire and a rapid response by event staff and law enforcement to secure the scene and evacuate attendees.
Mourners placed wreaths and other tributes in multiple locations following the killing, drawing a swift reaction across conservative political circles and prompting calls for unity and a thorough law enforcement investigation. Authorities urged anyone with information to come forward as they continued to piece together the sequence of events and the movements of the suspected shooter.
Officials have not released a timeline for when additional details, including motive or charges, will be disclosed. The investigation is ongoing, and local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have been reported to be coordinating responses as they seek to identify and apprehend the suspect.