Charlie Kirk, the influential US conservative activist and head of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), is in critical condition after being shot during a university event in Utah.
The 30-year-old Trump ally, who drew headlines in Cambridge earlier this year for a fiery debate at the Cambridge Union, was struck on Wednesday afternoon while speaking outdoors at Utah Valley University as part of TPUSA’s American Comeback Tour.
Video shared on social media shows Kirk under a tent, fielding questions from students, before a gunshot rings out and chaos breaks out in the courtyard. Witnesses reported he had just been asked about mass shootings when he was shot in the neck. Students can be seen fleeing as security rushed Kirk from the scene.
University officials confirmed that the shooting occurred at 12.10 local time. “He was hit and taken from the location by his security. Campus police is investigating, a suspect is in custody,” a statement read. Classes have been cancelled and the campus closed until further notice.
Police said the suspect, believed to be a man in his late 50s or 60s, fired from a building roughly 200 yards away. Authorities have confirmed he was not a student.
Messages of support for Kirk have poured in from across the political spectrum. Utah governor Spencer Cox said “violence has no place in our public life,” while former president Donald Trump called Kirk a “great guy from top to bottom” in a Truth Social post urging prayers.
Senator Mike Lee and vice-president JD Vance also offered public prayers, as did US defence secretary Pete Hegseth, who described Kirk as “an incredible Christian, American, and human being.” FBI director Kash Patel confirmed federal agents are on the scene to support the investigation.
The attack has also drawn condemnation from political leaders outside the Republican fold. California governor Gavin Newsom called the shooting “disgusting, vile and reprehensible” and urged Americans to reject political violence “in every form.”
Kirk is best known as the founder of Turning Point USA, a powerful youth-focused conservative organisation with close ties to Donald Trump. In February, he appeared at the Cambridge Union, where he clashed with student members over issues ranging from US gun laws to free speech.
