Charlie Kirk, a prominent right-wing activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University, prompting public responses from entertainers and political leaders and a manhunt by federal and local authorities.
Hours after the 31-year-old was pronounced dead following the shooting, which investigators say involved a high-powered rifle fired from a nearby building, ABC host Jimmy Kimmel posted on Instagram urging people to avoid "angry finger-pointing" and to condemn "senseless gun violence." Two people were briefly detained as persons of interest and later released, law enforcement officials said, and the shooter remains at large.
Kimmel, in his Instagram message, asked followers to agree "for one day" that it is "horrible and monstrous to shoot another human" and extended his family's sympathies to Kirk's wife and children. Stephen Colbert also addressed the killing during the opening of The Late Show, condemning political violence and saying he hoped the shooting was the act of a "mad man" rather than a sign of wider unrest.
President Donald Trump announced Kirk's death on his social platform and delivered an Oval Office statement calling the killing an "assassination" and blaming what he described as years of left-wing rhetoric that demonizes political opponents. Trump praised Kirk as a defender of free speech and said the administration would work to identify those responsible. Vice President J.D. Vance described Kirk as a "true friend" and a "great family man."
Law enforcement said the fatal wound was to the neck and that a high-powered rifle was recovered in a wooded area near the event site. Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect or motive. A major manhunt involving the FBI and Utah police was underway, officials said. Spectators at the event were heard reacting in panic as the shooting occurred; some ran from the area as first responders arrived.
Kirk, 31, rose to national prominence after co-founding Turning Point USA in 2012. He is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve Kirk, and their two young children, a three-year-old daughter and a 16-month-old son.
Reaction on social media was deeply polarized. While some public figures offered condolences and urged calm, others on platforms such as TikTok and X posted celebratory or mocking responses to Kirk's death. Those posts drew condemnation from political leaders and commentators who warned that such reactions exacerbate divisions. Late-night hosts who addressed the killing framed it in historical context: Colbert referenced the political violence of the 1960s and said it should be a reminder that violence does not resolve political disputes.
Investigators have provided limited public detail about the shooting, saying only that evidence suggested shots were fired from a nearby building and that two people initially taken into custody were released when they were no longer considered persons of interest. Law enforcement officials declined to comment on whether the attack appeared to be targeted beyond the circumstances of the event.
Kirk's death has intensified longstanding national debates about political rhetoric, campus safety and gun violence. Conservative leaders and allies, including Trump, framed the killing as part of a pattern they attribute to hostile portrayals of conservative figures, while others focused on the immediate need for a thorough investigation and restraint in public responses.
As investigators continue their search, authorities asked anyone with information or relevant footage of the event or surrounding area to contact local law enforcement or the FBI. The case remains under active investigation, and officials said they would release additional information as it becomes available.