POLICE dispatch audio has revealed the chaos in the moments after Charlie Kirk was shot dead.
A huge manhunt is underway for the conservative activist’s killer after he was gunned down at a Utah Valley University event on Wednesday afternoon.
People run after a shot was fired at Charlie Kirk during a Utah Valley University speaking event in Orem on Wednesday[/caption]
Charlie Kirk hands out hats just moments before he was shot dead[/caption]
Now, chilling recordings of the initial police response has revealed how cops were left scrambling to help after a flurry of calls from onlookers.
In the clip an officer can be heard asking: “How many injured?”
The reply: “Just one person.”
The audio begins with an official stating: “Report of one individual that was shot. Unknown where the shooter went.”
They added: “We’re getting several calls. We’re trying to get more information.”
Later in the clip cops can be heard discussing locking down the university’s library.
They also describe a suspect as wearing jeans, a black shirt, a black mask and carrying a long rifle.
Graphic video showed a single bullet striking 31-year-old Kirk in the neck during the debate in Orem.
A huge police response at the scene where Kirk, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was shot dead[/caption]
Chilling recordings reveal how cops were left scrambling to help after a flurry of calls from onlookers[/caption]
FBI director Kash Patel said a person of interest was taken into custody but later released.
Officials are now asking for any information that could lead to the shooter’s capture with heavily armed police going from door-to-door in the hunt.
They have described the shooting as a targeted political assassination.
Kirk, an outspoken commentator who frequently appeared on Fox News, was best known for co-founding Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit organization aimed at organizing students.
President Trump announced Kirk’s death in a Truth Social post, writing: “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.”
Timeline of Charlie Kirk shooting
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on September 10.
12 pm MDT– Kirk is scheduled to host a debate in the UVU Fountain Courtyard.
12:10 pm – A shot is fired at Kirk from 200 yards away and hits him in the neck. The event is immediately evacuated and a man is taken into custody.
1:02 pm – President Donald Trump posts a call to pray for Kirk on Truth Social.
1:37 pm – UVU closes campus, cancels classes, and tells students to leave campus immediately.
1:50 pm – Officials confirm Kirk is in critical condition to the Associated Press.
2:40 pm – Trump confirms Kirk has died, hailing him “great, legendary” in a post on Truth Social.
4:21 pm FBI Director Kash Patel shares on X that the ‘subject for the horrific shooting’ is in custody.
4:30 pm – Utah Governor Spencer Cox, speaking at a press conference, brands Kirk’s death a ‘political assassination. Cox adds there is a ‘person of interest’ in custody and a man arrested earlier has been released.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Lane Frantzve, and their two young children.
The pro-gun activist was speaking about shootings during a student Q&A at the school in the moments before he was murdered.
Blood was seen gushing from Kirk’s neck as he fell off his chair, as bystanders screamed, “Get down! Get down!”
ASSASSINATION SCENE
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead just hours later.
Kirk was an American conservative political activist, author, and media personality who rose to prominence as the co-founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA)[/caption]
Just minutes before the reports rang out, Kirk’s social media accounts shared videos and pictures of the activist smiling as he met students.
He was speaking about mass killings committed by transgender Americans and was asked how many mass shootings had happened in the US in the past 10 years.
Kirk was beginning to answer by asking, “Counting or not counting gang violence?” when he was hit.
The shots were fired from the roof of the Losee Center, about 200 yards away from the stage where Kirk spoke, officials said.
Videos taken from the scene appeared to show a figure running across the roof of the Losee Center in the seconds after Kirk was shot.
Another video, apparently taken outside the event before the shooting, appeared to show a person dressed in dark clothing lying down on the roof of the building.
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.
The university’s campus was shut down and UVU students were told to leave the premises immediately.
Kirk was on campus representing his organization, Turning Point USA. This was the first stop on the group’s American Comeback Tour, which had multiple more stops scheduled this fall.
