Everything we know after Charlie Kirk fatally shot as manhunt ongoing for suspect
Further details are constantly emerging in the ongoing case of Charlie Kirk's assassination.
During a Republican rally at Utah Valley University yesterday (10 Sept), the 31-year-old was taking questions from attendees, of whom there were believed to be over 3,000.
In the midst of a response, a single bullet was fired into Kirk's neck/throat area.
Despite attempts to save his life, the right-wing activist's death was later confirmed by close friend and political ally, Donald Trump.
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In a contentious social media post, the president described Kirk as a 'great' and 'legendary' leader, who'd been 'loved by ALL'.
Police are still putting together the moments prior to the violent attack, as hordes of political figures issue tributes to the conservative.
Here's everything we know about Kirk's assassination so far:
Who is Charlie Kirk?
Kirk first sky-rocketed into the political spotlight in 2012 when, aged just 18, he founded Turning Point USA, a Republican campaign group that targeted students at left-leaning educational facilities in the hope of spreading right-wing ideals.
The movement challenged attendees to open air debates on complex topics with a 'change my mind' approach, including faith, family values, trans rights, LGBTQ+ marriage, political warfare and climate change.
Kirk's personal views of law and culture stemmed from the Christian principles he was raised on, giving him a traditional stance on marriage, gender and sexuality, and an opposition to progressive, identity‑driven movements, which he regularly branded 'woke'.
The father-of-two - who shared a daughter (born August 2022) and son (born May 2024) with businesswoman wife Erika Frantzve - was also anti-abortion, as well as a disbeliever in white privilege.
More recently, he vocalised his support of Israel in the Gaza conflict, and advocated for gun rights in America.
Kirk and Trump struck up a close relationship during the politician's campaign against Kamala Harris last year, after the debater contributed to the flipping of Arizona from a Democratic to a Republican state.
Since then, he's been a regular White House attendee, and a trusted confidante for the 79-year-old president.
The lead-up to the shooting
In the 20 minutes prior to his assassination, Kirk arrived at the event, stopping to take photographs and sign MAGA hats for the hordes of attendees waiting for him as he approached the stage.
The get-together marked the first day of his 'The American Comeback Tour', which would have seen him visit a further 14 colleges in the coming months as part of his Turning Point USA movement.
The Department of Public Safety has since revealed that only six local police officers had been deployed for the right-wing event, along with a number of members of Kirk's personal security.
A student in attendance, Tiana Lao has since told the BBC that she was surprised by the lack of security measures, given Kirk's celebrity status.
She told the news outlet that 'no-one was checking bags', adding: "It seemed like a peaceful debate in the beginning."
Kirk was also joined at the event by wife Frantzve and his two children.
The moment Charlie Kirk was shot
After making his way onto the stage, Kirk invited an attendee to converse. After standing up in the crowd, the student asked him: "Do you know many transgender Americans have been shooters over the last 10 years?"
"Too many," the conservative initially replied.
After telling Kirk the answer was 'five', the same audience member went on to ask how many mass shooters there had been in America over the last 10 years.
Querying back, Kirk asked, 'Counting or not counting gang violence?' in what would prove to be his final statement.
In harrowing social media footage, a bullet can then be seen passing through Kirk's throat/neck area, releasing vast amounts of blood, after which he recoiled in his chair and fell to the ground.
After his security team rushed to his aid, Kirk was transported to hospital.
At the same time, rally attendees were ordered by police to flee the campus immediately in fear that the shooter was still active.
"I heard a loud shot, a loud bang and then I saw his body actually - in slow motion - kind of fall over," one eyewitness told reporters, as per BBC.
"We all dropped to the ground, and I want to say we sat like that for about 30 to 45 seconds, and then everyone around us got up and started running," Emma Pitts, a Deseret News journalist who was also in attendance, added.
Brooke Rollins, the US Agriculture Secretary, initially revealed that Kirk was in critical condition, but 'still with us'.
Donald Trump confirms Charlie Kirk's death
It was Donald Trump that first confirmed the news that Kirk had died in hospital.
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie," he wrote on Truth Social.
"He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"
Tributes to Charlie Kirk
Since the confirmation of Kirk's passing, a number of tributes from high-profile politicians from both sides have been issued.
The First Lady Melania Trump stated that his life 'should serve as a symbolic reminder that compassionate awareness elevates family, love, and country', adding online: "Charlie's children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs instead of laughter, and silence where their father's voice should have echoed.
Trump's Democratic predecessor Joe Biden wrote on X: "There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk's family and loved ones."
The US VP, JD Vance added: "Now that Charlie is in heaven, I'll ask him to talk to big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly. You ran a good race, my friend. We've got it from here."
Barack Obama also wrote: "This kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie's family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children."
Is there a suspect in Charlie Kirk's shooting?
As of right now, there has been no update in the police hunt for Kirk's killer, with door-to-door checks in residential areas surrounding the campus still underway.
Police originally estimated that Kirk's fatal shot had been fired from around 182m.
It was later theorised that a dark figure had been situated upon a roof of Utah Valley University, around 142m from the conservative.
Two individuals were initially arrested from the university campus, but were subsequently released, with 'no current ties' associating them with the heinous crime. Details surrounding these two people have not been released.
The incident has been branded a targeted shooting by authorities, with the Department of Public Safety claiming it's working at 'multiple active crime scenes', which could describe from where Kirk was shot, 'as well as the locations where the suspect and victim travelled'.
Do we know the motive behind the Charlie Kirk shooting?
Investigating officers are also yet to determine a motive for his murder.
Trump has since blamed the 'radical left' for Kirk's killing, and it was also described by Utah Governor Spencer Cox as a 'political assassination'.
Sharing a lengthy video online, the president warned that the death of the activist is a 'dark moment for America'.
Topics: Politics, US News, Police, News, Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump, Crime
Rhianna Benson