WITNESSES have recalled the gruesome moment a bullet pierced the neck of political activist Charlie Kirk, sending hundreds fleeing in terror.
Kirk, 31, was assassinated on Wednesday while hosting an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, about an hour south of Salt Lake City, as part of his The American Comeback Tour.
The stage where Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was speaking from[/caption]
The FBI is searching for the person of interest above in relation to Kirk’s assassination[/caption]
The crowd reacts after Charlie Kirk was shot[/caption]
Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, was in Utah for the first stop of his tour, where he was slated to stop at 15 college campuses across the country debating students on the most pressing topics in the US and around the globe.
Minutes into his forum, Kirk was in the middle of answering a question about gun violence in the country when a loud bang rang out in the distance.
Kirk’s head instantly jerked back and his body fell back from the chair he was seated on, graphic videos from attendees at the event showed.
“How could he have shot him from that perfect shot. It [the blood] was coming out like a water fountain,” a woman, who attended Kirk’s event, told The U.S. Sun.
“It was surreal. I heard pop, pop, and I thought, that sounded like a firecracker, and then my other mind was like, wait a minute, was that a gun?”
“Then I saw the blood. It was like a water fountain, then everybody dropped.”
Another witness, who identified herself as a former law enforcement official, said she was about to exit one of the buildings on campus when she heard the shot ring out.
“I was on my way to open up a door when I heard, what sounded to me to be a gunshot from my prior experience in law enforcement,” the woman said.
“I looked up, I don’t know if it echoed, and then I saw the kids rushing out. One of the girls was having a panic attack, I was worried about her being trampled, so I scooped her up and her friend.”
MOST WANTED
The manhunt for Kirk’s assassination continued as of Friday as investigators released new details about the suspected shooter.
Beau Mason, the department of public safety commissioner in Utah, described the individual as “college-aged,” who “blended well with the college institution.”
Mason said the individual arrived at the Utah Valley University campus at 11:52 am, minutes before Kirk’s event was slated to begin at noon.
Surveillance cameras from the campus grounds captured the individual, described as a person of interest, walking up a stairwell, dressed in a black long-sleeve shirt, dark sunglasses, a baseball cap, and dark blue jeans.
The person of interest is believed to have scaled the roof of a building on campus, and positioned himself to the shooting location, Mason said during a press conference on Friday.
After firing the deadly shot, the individual moved to the other side of the building before jumping off, fleeing the campus and running into a nearby neighborhood, the public safety commissioner added.
What we know so far:
- Two people taken into custody were released, including an elderly man hauled from the scene in handcuffs
- Videos of the scene show a dark-clad figure running on a roof moments after the single shot was fired
- Kirk’s wife, Erika, and their two kids were in the audience when he was shot
- Elon Musk blamed Democrats for the assassination
- A South Park episode mocking Kirk was pulled from the air
- Harrowing audio revealed the shooting’s chaotic aftermath
- Trump posthumously awarded Kirk the Medal of Freedom
RIFLE RECOVERED
Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, revealed that investigators had recovered a rifle in a wooded area on a path where the shooter fled.
Bohls described the weapon as a “high powered bolt-action rifle.”
The firearm, an older-model .30 caliber hunting rifle, was found wrapped in a towel with a spent cartridge still in the chamber, according to the Wall Street Journal.
There were three unspent rounds in the magazine that all had “transgender and anti-fascist ideology” engravings on them, the outlet reported.
Aerial photographs showed a gravel-covered rooftop, believed to be the Losee Center building, where the shooter is suspected to have positioned himself.
Charlie Kirk handing out ‘Make America Great Again’ hats moments before the start of his event on Wednesday[/caption]
A video circulating on social media apparently captured a dark figure stationed on a rooftop on campus[/caption]
Charlie Kirk and his wife Erika Frantzve pictured embracing their two young children[/caption]
The ground was covered with five orange evidence flags markers.
Bohls, the FBI agent, said that during their search of the scene, investigators found footwear impression, palm prints, and forearm imprints.
A follow-up news conference that was initially scheduled for 2:45 pm ET was delayed due to “rapid developments” in the investigation, a spokesperson for Utah’s Department of Public Safety said.
Kirk, an outspoken conservative activist, was best known for co-founding the nonprofit organization Turning Point USA when he was 18 years old.
Kirk was passionate about organizing students and debate young people in an attempt to challenge their political beliefs.
Trump has publicly credited Kirk and his organization’s work in their effort to mobilize young Republican voters.
The president also praised Kirk as being one of the reasons he reclaimed the White House.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their two children.
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.
The strategy helped them gain a significant following and financial backing from wealthy conservative donors.
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.
Through his popular podcast, “The Charlie Kirk Show,” and his frequent appearances on conservative media, Kirk was a powerful voice in the pro-Trump movement.
He often framed political issues as a “spiritual battle” between good and evil and championed a pugnacious, populist form of conservatism.
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).
He was also a major proponent of Christian nationalism, arguing that there is no true separation of church and state in the United States.
The Turning Point Empire
Kirk’s activism led to the expansion of the Turning Point brand into a larger political and media empire.
He launched Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group focused on voter mobilization, and Turning Point Faith, aimed at engaging evangelical Christian communities in conservative politics.
These affiliated organizations allowed him to broaden his reach and influence beyond college campuses, into a more mainstream political force.
