CHARLIE Kirk was warned about safety at his college campus debates just months before he was assassinated, according to a bodyguard.
The 31-year-old conservative activist was shot dead in a targeted attack at Utah Valley University with the gunman still on the run.
Charlie Kirk was holding one of his usual college campus events in Utah when he was assassinated[/caption]
A police officer stands in front of the tent were Kirk was shot[/caption]
Video from the outdoor event shows a dark figure on the roof of a building across from where Kirk was hit[/caption]
Kirk was holding an event at UVU on the first stop of Turning Point USA‘s American Comeback Tour.
The father-of-two was passionate about organising student-led events and debating young people in an attempt to challenge their political beliefs.
He would often go on tours around American campuses to hold open discussions on a range of controversial topics.
Kris Herzog, owner of The Bodyguard Group of Beverly Hills, has now revealed he spoke with Kirk on March 6 about the dangers of these events.
The pair met at a previous rally at California State University with Herzog saying he reached out after being told by officers who worked with Kirk about the concerns they had over the growing size of his meets.
Herzog told the Daily Mail he warned Kirk he would “100 per cent be killed at one of his upcoming university speaking events” if major safety measures weren’t implemented.
Herzog even claimed he predicted it would be a shooting which claimed the life of the close Donald Trump ally.
He explained: “Everyone in my group felt that his security was not even close to what it should be and he was in grave danger of being shot and killed at one of his upcoming events.”
Herzog has worked with a huge number of high profile clients from Kim Kardashian to Sharon Stone.
He said he used his knowledge from past security operations to try and give Kirk some suggestions.
One included putting up a portable bulletproof glass shield around Kirk when he was speaking.
Another idea was to search every person within 700ft of Kirk for any weapons.
Herzog said this could be easily done with metal detectors and handheld sensors.
Another was to hire his own off-duty plain clothed cops to patrol the events.
The local Utah police force did confirm officers were on duty on Wednesday and had been in the crowds of students.
However, officials later said only six officers were assigned to the campus event which was made up of around 3,000 people.
Herzog said Kirk promised to consider the recommendations and implement them but believes steps were never taken.
The well-known US bodyguard said: “Sadly he never got back to me and now my prediction of his murder has come true.”
The FBI released pictures of a ‘person of interest’ who allegedly killed Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University[/caption]
Pictures published by the New York Post appear to show the rifle used to kill Kirk[/caption]
Mark Wilson, a colleague of Herzog, also claims he spoke to Kirk about increasing his safety.
He revealed: “We are huge Turning Point fans, being conservatives, and we’d discussed the lack of security because he’s up close with these nutcase kids and doesn’t appear that he ever wears a bulletproof vest.
“It’s super sad what has happened.”
University Police Chief Jeff Long addressed safety concerns at a press conference hours after the fatal attack.
He said: “We trained for these things. And you think you have things covered. And these things, unfortunately, they happen.
“You try to get your bases covered. And unfortunately, today we didn’t, and because of that, we had this tragic incident.”
The gunman managed to flee the scene after the shooting undetected with a manhunt ongoing to find Kirk’s killer.
Two people had been taken into custody on Wednesday but were later said to have not been suspected of being the assassin.
The FBI have now released two images showing a person of interest they are looking for.
A college-age man wearing a baseball hat, sunglasses, and a black shirt with the American flag on it was shown climbing stairs to the roof where he allegedly assassinated Kirk.
Investigators found a gun, footprints, and “good video” of the suspect, FBI officials said at a press conference on Thursday.
Video shows the suspect arriving on the campus in Orem, Utah, at 11:52 am, investigators said.
He went through a building stairwell up onto a roof, and crossed the roof to get to the spot where he fired at Kirk, who was speaking to students in a Q&A, from about 200 yards away.
The “high-powered, bolt-action rifle” used to kill Kirk was later found wrapped in a towel in nearby woods after the shooting, Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City office, said.
He leaves behind his wife Erika Frantzve[/caption]
Kirk was also a young dad-of-two[/caption]
The gun, a Mauser .30-06, is described as an older-model military rifle that’s commonly used by hunters, according to the New York Times.
Investigators reportedly found four bullets engraved with transgender and antifascist messages inside the rifle, according to an internal federal memo seen by the Wall Street Journal.
The exact messages have not been released and have not been confirmed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
An official told the New York Times the memo didn’t match other summaries of the evidence.
Investigators found more evidence, including a palm imprint, a forearm imprint, and a “footwear impression,” Bohls said.
A screwdriver was also reportedly found near the weapon, which might have been used to disassemble and reassemble the gun so it could be concealed easily, CNN reported.
Charlie Kirk’s rise to hero of the youth MAGA movement
CHARLIE Kirk transformed conservative youth activism from a marginal movement into a powerful force before his assassination on a college campus at 31.
Kirk was an American conservative political activist, author, and media personality who rose to prominence as the co-founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA).
He launched the organization in 2012 when he was just 18 years old, with the goal of promoting conservative principles to high school and college students and became a significant figure in American politics by building a massive grassroots network, framing himself as a “culture warrior.”
The rise of Turning Point USA
Turning Point USA’s mission was to counter what Kirk and his allies saw as liberal dominance on American college campuses.
It quickly grew to prominence through his use of provocative activism and viral social media campaigns.
They created watchlists of professors pushing leftist propaganda and organized events to debate students on controversial topics.
Kirk’s ability to connect with a new generation of conservatives was one of his most notable impacts.
He cultivated a style of political engagement that was heavily reliant on social media, podcasts, and confrontational public appearances.
His organization’s events, such as the annual Student Action Summit, drew thousands of young attendees and featured prominent conservative speakers, creating a new kind of political ecosystem for young people who felt alienated from traditional conservative groups.
A key ally of Donald Trump
Kirk also became a staunch supporter and ally of President Donald Trump.
He was the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention and served as an aide to Donald Trump Jr. during the presidential campaign.
This relationship solidified his position within the Republican Party’s “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) wing, and his organization became an integral part of Trump’s political apparatus.
His influence was so significant that after Trump’s 2024 victory, Kirk was credited with helping to mobilize younger voters for the campaign.
Influence on culture and social issues
Beyond traditional politics, Kirk’s influence extended deeply into social and cultural issues.
He was a vocal opponent of “woke” ideology, particularly in education and media.
He promoted traditional values, often encouraging young women to prioritize becoming homemakers and mothers over professional careers.
Kirk also openly criticized programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Kirk had a small security team with him at the event[/caption]
