Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah.

The event was part of his “American Comeback Tour”, under the banner of “Prove Me Wrong,” a public debate forum where audience members ask questions challenging his positions. The Washington Post

Just before the shooting, he was answering questions about mass shootings and gun violence—one audience member asked, “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” Kirk was in the middle of this exchange when a single bullet struck him in the neck.

Approximately 3,000 people were in attendance. Also, present were his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their two young children.

The suspect is believed to have fired from a rooftop—about 200 yards away from Kirk’s speaking platform, from the Losee Center building on campus. Law enforcement with the FBI and local authorities are investigating. Two individuals were initially detained but later released; no one is in custody for the shooting.

In the wake of the killing, U.S. political leaders have condemned the attack as political violence. US President Donald Trump called Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom.” Flags have been ordered flown at half-staff. Utah’s governor referred to the shooting as a “political assassination.” Investigations are ongoing.