Trump Ally Charlie Kirk Killed During Speech at Utah Valley University — Shooter Still at Large
Written by b87fm on 09/11/2025
Conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was gunned down on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem. The 31-year-old activist, known for his hardline takes on “Black-on-Black crime” and culture-war politics, was fatally struck by a single shot fired from nearly 200 yards away.
Witnesses say the shooter — described as a white male — shouted, “I’d do it again” before fleeing. Initial chatter claimed someone was already in custody, but Utah officials later confirmed the suspect is still on the run, launching a full-scale manhunt.
Kirk rose to prominence in 2012 when he launched Turning Point USA, carving out a niche by storming liberal-leaning college campuses where few Republicans dared tread. His group became a pipeline for young conservative activists and even helped shape parts of Trumpworld. Vice President JD Vance credited Kirk and Turning Point with helping build pro-Trump momentum and influencing personnel inside the administration.
Reactions to the killing cut across party lines — but not without political sparks. While leaders in both camps issued statements of grief, Donald Trump used the moment to point fingers at the left.
“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and criminals,” Trump said in a video. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism we’re seeing in this country today, and it must stop right now.”
The former president then doubled down, calling the attack “radical-left political violence” — without acknowledging high-profile Democrats who’ve also been targeted in recent years.
Authorities have yet to name a motive, but Utah’s governor did not mince words, calling the murder “a political assassination.”
For now, one of the most polarizing figures in conservative politics is gone — and the search for his killer is just beginning.
