Charlie Kirk shot during Utah campus event, video shows crowds fleeing: Live updates
Charlie Kirk shot during Utah campus event, video shows crowds fleeing: Live updates
Story by N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY
• 12m •
4 min read
Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Sept. 10.
Livestream video of the event showed crowds of people running from the university’s courtyard where Kirk, 31, was holding a speaking event when the shooting occurred.
The university said the campus is closed and classes are canceled until further notice. "Police are investigating. Leave campus immediately. Follow police instructions," the school said in a post on X.
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The university also said a suspect had been taken into custody as of 1:15 MT. Campus police declined to comment when reached by USA TODAY. But Scott Trotter, a university spokesman, told the New York Times police have determined the person who was taken into custody was not the shooter.
President Donald Trump issued a statement on Truth Social following reports of the shooting. "We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!" Trump said.
©Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY
Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, speaks on July 18, 2016, in Cleveland, Ohio, during the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena. Kirk, a conservative influencer, was reportedly shot at during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Sept. 10, 2025.
FBI Director Kash Patel said he is “closely monitoring” the reported shooting.
“Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation,” Patel said on social media.
Charlie Kirk: Young women, conservative influencer wants you to have babies and work less
Who is Charlie Kirk? Kirk has become a national figure as a conservative influencer and as the founder of Turning Point USA, an organization that pushes for conservative politics on high school and college campuses.
In 2024, he spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he gave a speech focusing on what Kirk says he heard from young people around the U.S.
He's is married to Erika Kirk, an entrepreneur, and the couple has two children. Their daughter was born in August 2022, and they had a son in 2024.
Kamala Harris 'deeply disturbed' by Utah shootingFormer Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement she is "deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah."
"Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family," Harris said on social media. "Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence."
Gavin Newsom denounces political violence after Charlie Kirk shootingCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who interviewed Kirk on a recent podcast episode, weighed in calling the attack "disgusting, vile, and reprehensible."
"In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form," wrote Newsom.
Right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk appears at a Utah Valley University speaking event in Orem, Utah, Sept. 10, 2025.© Trent Nelson, The Salt Lake Tribune via Reuters
JD Vance, RFK Jr. respond to Charlie Kirk shooting“Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father,” Vice President JD Vance said in a post on X.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who has participated in several of Kirk's podcasts and with whom he held a Make America Healthy Again Town Hall, sent well wishes to the conservative activist. "We love you Charlie Kirk. Praying for you," Kennedy wrote on X.
– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Utah leaders briefed on Charlie Kirk shootingUtah Governor Spencer Cox shared on X that he was being "briefed by law enforcement following the violence directed at Charlie Kirk." Cox said "Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act."
U.S. Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, said in a statement that his "heart goes out to Charlie, those in attendance, and their families."
“We are praying for his safety and the well-being of everyone impacted. My team and I will continue to gather more information as it becomes available and are closely monitoring the situation. I am grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and first responders working to secure the campus,” Curtis said.
Kirk shot after controversy over speaking engagement
Utah Valley University was the latest stop on Kirk’s The American Comeback Tour with his organization Turning Point USA. The event was scheduled for 12 p.m. local time on Sept. 10.
Almost 1,000 people had signed a petition to bar Kirk from speaking at the university. More than 6,800 people had signed a petition requesting that faculty prevent Kirk from speaking at a similar event at Utah State University.
“Allowing him to speak on our campus would not only misrepresent the values we hold dear but also create an environment where divisive rhetoric could flourish,” the petition read.
The university affirmed its "commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue" and urged faculty and staff to keep institutional communication neutral in a statement days before the shooting.
"UVU, including its leaders speaking on behalf of the institution, does not take official positions on political, social, or cultural controversies unless they directly impact our mission, operations, or core values," the statement said. "This neutrality ensures that our campus remains a true marketplace of ideas, where faculty, staff, and students are empowered to express viewpoints without institutional bias."
Contributing: Bart Jansen, Karissa Waddick, Fernando Cervantes Jr., Dinah Pulver, Aysha Bagchi, Josh Meyer and Joey Garrison
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlie Kirk shot during Utah campus event, video shows crowds fleeing: Live updates |
