WASHINGTON (AP) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox made an impassioned plea on Friday for Americans and young people to use the horror of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s public assassination as an …
By MICHELLE L. PRICE, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox made an impassioned plea on Friday for Americans and young people to use the horror of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s public assassination as an inflection point to turn the country away from political violence and division.
“This is our moment: Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?” Cox said at a news conference in Utah as he announced authorities had a suspect in Kirk’s killing in custody. “It’s a choice.”
Throughout his political career, Cox, a two-term Republican governor, has issued pleas for bipartisan cooperation and at times drawn national attention for his empathetic remarks.
His speech on Friday was his most emotional and high-profile example yet, as he urged an appeal to common ground and humanity to forge a better society. It was a marked departure from the bellicose rhetoric often employed in recent years by U.S. politicians, especially President Donald Trump, who is known for provocative language and has blamed Kirk’s killing on “radical left” rhetoric.
On Wednesday, after Kirk’s killing, Cox made a similar plea.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox pauses as he speaks at a news conference, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (AP Photo/Lindsay Wasson)
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference, as Utah department of public safety commissioner Beau Mason, left, and FBI Director Kash Patel listens, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Orem, Utah,(AP Photo/Lindsay Wasson)
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference, as FBI Director Kash Patel looks on, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Orem, Utah, (AP Photo/Lindsay Wasson)
1 of 3
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox pauses as he speaks at a news conference, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (AP Photo/Lindsay Wasson)
On Friday, acknowledging he was running on only 90 minutes of sleep after days of the manhunt for Kirk’s killer and heated rhetoric unfurling online, he went further.
His voice appearing to break at times, Cox said that the response to violence and hate can be more violence and hate. “And that’s the problem with political violence,” he said. “It metastasizes because we can always point the finger at the other side. And at some point we have to find an off-ramp or it’s going to get much much worse.”
“History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country. But every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us,” Cox said.
The 50-year-old governor, who has four children who are teenagers and young adults, directed some of his remarks to young people.
“You are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option,” he said.
But, Cox said, there’s a different path: “Your generation has an opportunity to build a culture that is very different than what we are suffering through right now.”
He said the 22-year-old suspect in Kirk’s killing had become “more political” in the run-up to Wednesday’s shooting on a university campus.
Cox also spoke of the harms of social media and said it was terrible that Kirk’s slaying was “so gruesomely displayed” for everyone to watch online.
“We are not wired as human beings biologically, historically we have not evolved in a way that we are capable of processing those types of violent imagery,” Cox said. “This is not good for us. It is not good to consume. Social media is a cancer on our society right now.”
Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
“At some point, we have to find an off-ramp, or else it’s going to get much worse,” warned Gov. Spencer Cox as Trump blamed the “radical left” for Kirk’s death.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) on Friday sought to lower the temperature following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, issuing a heartfelt plea for calm and unity, a message that stood in sharp contrast to that of President Donald Trump.
“We need more moral clarity right now,” Cox said at a press conference. “I hear all the time that ‘words are violence.’ Words are not violence. Violence is violence. There is one person responsible for what happened here, and that person is in custody, will be charged soon, and will be held accountable.”
“We can return violence with violence, we can return hate with hate,” he added. “That’s the problem with political violence. It metastasizes. We can always point the finger at the other side. At some point, we have to find an off-ramp, or else it’s going to get much worse.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Cox’s comments came as a breath of fresh air amid 31-year-old Kirk’s gruesome shooting earlier this week at a college campus in Utah. They also contrasted starkly with remarks made by the president of the United States, who shrugged off a question about “fixing the country” when asked earlier Friday about radicals on the right.
“I’ll tell you something that’s gonna get me in trouble, but I couldn’t care less,” Trump said in an interview on Fox News. “The radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don’t want to see crime. The radicals on the left are the problem.”
In this combination photo, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) speaks at the National Governors Association, July 11, 2024, in Salt Lake City, left, and President Donald Trump speaks during a town hall, Aug. 29, 2024, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. (AP Photo) via Associated Press
While Trump did condemn political violence in the wake of the shooting, he did not recognize or acknowledge the recent threats and violent attacks against Democrats, including two Minnesota state legislators and their spouses who were shot in their homes earlier this year, and the arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home, crimes Cox made note of.
On Thursday, before a suspect in the Utah shooting was apprehended and a motive had been established, Trump said, “we just have to beat the hell” out of “radical left lunatics.” Nevertheless, he went on to urge his supporters to follow a nonviolent path. “[Kirk] was an advocate of nonviolence,” Trump said. “That’s the way I’d like to see people respond.”
Cox, a moderate Republican, has previously urged Trump to spend more time trying to build common ground with his political opponents, to little effect. The president often launches wild attacks against Democrats on social media and shares conspiracy theories that have no basis in truth.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
In his remarks at Friday’s press conference, the governor urged the public to stay off social media, which he called a “cancer,” and lamented the fact that violent acts like Kirk’s gruesome shooting can be seen in video clips that have proliferated widely online.
More in U.S.
“We are not wired as human beings, biologically, historically, we have not evolved in a way that we are capable of processing [that] violent imagery,” Cox said. “This is not good for us. It is not good to consume. Social media is a cancer. And I would urge people to log off, turn off, and touch grass.”
“History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country, but every single one of us gets to choose right now,” he added. “If this is a turning point for us, we get to make decisions. We have our agency.”
Brown is a Black homeless man with a history of mental illness, according to his lawyer. Zarutska was a white woman who was holding down a job. Hence big media outlets’ decision to frame the young …
Brown is a Black homeless man with a history of mental illness, according to his lawyer. Zarutska was a white woman who was holding down a job. Hence big media outlets’ decision to frame the young …
“There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter,” authorities said, confirming that two suspects had been taken into custody but had since been released …
NEED TO KNOW
The Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) have confirmed that a manhunt for the person responsible for shooting right-wing political commentator Carlie Kirk is “ongoing”
Kirk, 31, was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Sept. 10 when he was fatally shot in what the DPS have called a “targeted attack”
Two suspects were initially taken into custody but have subsequently been released and the investigation continues
A manhunt is ongoing after right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at age 31 during a campus event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Sept. 10, authorities have confirmed.
Kirk was speaking at a student-sponsored event with his non-profit organization Turning Point USA at around 12:20 p.m. local time before shots were fired. He was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital before being pronounced dead hours later, per a Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) news release.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
“This shooting is still an active investigation. The Utah Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are co-leading this incident in unison with the Utah County Attorney’s office, the Utah County Sheriff’s office, and the local police departments,” the DPS said.
The release stated that one person had been taken into custody as a suspect, before later being released and charged with obstruction by UVU (Utah Valley University) police. A second suspect was also taken into custody and released after interrogation with law enforcement, DPS said.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Charlie Kirk at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
“There are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals. There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter,” the release noted.
Kirk had been manning his signature “Prove Me Wrong” table as part of his American Comeback Tour at the Orem, Utah, campus when he was shot.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
DPS confirmed that its State Crime Lab, along with law enforcement, was working on multiple active crime scenes following the incident.
“These were identified based on where the victim was shot, as well as the locations where the suspect and victim travelled,” the release noted.
DPS added, “The shooting is believed to be a targeted attack. The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard. Any additional clarifications cannot be provided to protect the integrity of our investigation.”
“This is a tragic moment for Utah and our country,” the release said.
Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty
A photo of the scene after shots were fired at Charlie Kirk
As previously reported by PEOPLE, the person of interest whom authorities believe killed Kirk was described in law enforcement dispatch audio as wearing all-black clothing and tactical gear.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The audio, which was reviewed by PEOPLE, described a person in all-black — carrying a black long gun, wearing a black tactical helmet and mask, and possibly a tactical vest and jeans.
More in U.S.
Other transmissions mentioned aviator-style glasses, a black bag, black long pants and longer hair.
The event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The school has since confirmed that all classes — whether in-person or virtual — campus events, and administrative operations would be suspended during this time, per a university update on its emergency information page.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
“On behalf of Utah Valley University, we are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk, a guest to our campus,” a message added. “Our hearts go out to his family. As we grieve with our students, faculty, and staff who bore witness to this unspeakable tragedy, UVU campuses will be closed from September 11-14.”
“This unspeakable attack is disturbing and frightening. University of Utah leaders are closely monitoring the situation,” UVU added in a separate post on Facebook.
The campus of Utah Valley University was mostly deserted and silent on Thursday, a stark contrast with the scenes of panic and disbelief that erupted 24 hours earlier when a sniper killed conservative …
The campus of Utah Valley University was mostly deserted and silent on Thursday, a stark contrast with the scenes of panic and disbelief that erupted 24 hours earlier when a sniper killed conservative …
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in a state that has permissive gun laws and allows firearms to be concealed or openly carried without a permit in most instances, experts said.
By ED WHITE
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in a state that has permissive gun laws and allows firearms to be concealed or openly carried without a permit in most instances, experts said.
Investigators said a high-powered, bolt-action rifle that might have been used in the attack was found hidden in a towel in a wooded area near Utah Valley University.
Clark Aposhian, a firearms instructor and chair of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, said there is nothing in Utah’s permissive gun policies that would somehow make it easier for an assassin to kill Kirk, who was speaking outdoors to students.
“No law allows a person to bring a rifle on a campus, climb on a roof and shoot somebody. It was wrong from the get-go,” Aposhian said Thursday.
Attorney Mitch Vilos, who specializes in Utah gun law, agreed.
“This was obviously well planned,” he said.
Few barriers to gun possession
Utah is considered a conservative state, culturally and politically. It allows adults to carry guns openly or conceal them without a permit, though there are restrictions for people ages 18 to 20. The state does offer concealed-carry permits, which some people prefer because they are honored in other states that require them, Vilos said.
“The reason we can open carry in Utah is because there’s no law that prohibits it,” Aposhian said.
There are some exceptions at public colleges. Aposhian said a permit is required to carry a firearm, either in the open or concealed.
At the University of Utah, “police will confirm that those carrying openly on campus have a concealed weapon permit,” the school in Salt Lake City says on its website.
Utah Valley in Orem, where Kirk was killed, says it follows state law and allows gun owners to carry a concealed firearm if they have a permit.
Kirk defended gun rights
Kirk was answering a question about gun violence when a single shot was heard Wednesday.
“Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” someone said.
“Counting or not counting gang violence?” replied Kirk, who was a firm supporter of gun rights.
Vilos, who was written a book about Utah gun policy, said the state believes in “protective gun laws.”
“The idea is to protect the innocent,” he said, “as long as you’re not doing things that would cause someone to believe that they’re being threatened by the presence of your firearm.”
Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah has called for politicians to tone down their rhetoric and “disagree better.” The assassination of Charlie Kirk is testing the limits of that high-minded approach.
Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah has called for politicians to tone down their rhetoric and “disagree better.” The assassination of Charlie Kirk is testing the limits of that high-minded approach.
At a press conference earlier Thursday, the FBI and Utah public safety officials described the gunman as a “college age” male who “blended in well” with students at the Utah Valley University event.
A high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered from a nearby wooded area, authorities said. They believe this is the weapon that was used in the “targeted” shooting that left Kirk dead.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Kirk, 31, was addressing the open-air crowd with some 3,000 people when a single shot rang out, striking the Turning Point USA cofounder in the neck. Within hours, Trump announced Kirk’s death on Truth Social. Trump on Thursday said he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The hunt for Kirk’s killer took several twists and turns in the hours following the shooting. Initially, the university said a suspect was in custody, but that person was let go after being charged with obstruction of justice. Later, officials said a second suspect was taken into custody, but that person was also released.
Trump portrayed Kirk as an inspiring leader who helped spur millions of young Americans to political activism. Earlier on Wednesday, he ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff until Saturday …
OREM, UT — Conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday in what the governor described as a “political assassination.”
“This is a dark day for our state, it’s a tragic day for our nation,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said at a news conference. “I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.”
Livestream video of the event showed crowds of people running from the university’s courtyard where Kirk, 31, was speaking when the shooting occurred. Police said that about 3,000 people were in attendance at 12:20 local time when a gunshot rang out, sending attendees running for safety.
No suspect was in custody as of late Wednesday, but two people had been detained earlier in the day, according to the FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety. Investigators determined that neither of the two taken into custody had any ties to the shooting and were both later released.
The incident was the latest in a series of attacks on U.S. political figures, including two assassination attempts against Trump last year, that have underscored a sharp rise in political violence.
Trump vows vengeance against ‘radical Left’ for killing Kirk
Calling Kirk “a martyr for truth and freedom,” President Donald Trump on Wednesday attacked the “radical Left” and said its heated rhetoric was “directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.”
In a four-minute live address posted to his Truth Social platform, Trump – sitting in the Oval Office – said he was “filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination” of Kirk on a college campus in Utah earlier in the day. Kirk was a staunch political ally of Trump and helped fuel his political comeback and return to the White House in January.
Trump portrayed Kirk as an inspiring leader who helped spur millions of young Americans to political activism. Earlier on Wednesday, he ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff until Saturday night in honor of Kirk, calling it a “mark of respect.”
He then turned his anger toward those he believes are responsible, repeating a familiar refrain of his in blaming liberals for violence against his MAGA supporters because of their public criticisms.
“It’s long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible,” Trump said.
The president didn’t broach the subject of how conservatives, including Kirk, have often attacked liberals and opponents of Trump in a similar manner, in some cases leading to political violence against those on the Left.
— Josh Meyer
‘Having an opinion in America is going to get you killed’
As the sun set, Ashton Kelly stood alone on a busy corner of University Parkway near the UVU campus holding a sign: “RIP Charley.”
For hours, he’d stood — joined briefly by a couple who’d been passing by — in honor of Kirk, his former employer. Kelly worked for him a few years ago, running a Turning Point USA chapter in the area, he said.
Passing drivers honked and waved when they saw Kelly and his sign. “Lots of support, lots of love,” he said of the reaction. “Mostly devastation, though.”
Kelly, a local plumber, said he came to campus with his sign because he wanted to make people aware of Kirk’s goodness and mission as well as the danger of the nation’s political rhetoric.
He questioned how other political groups can lob names such as “Nazi extremists, fascists” at conservatives and then wonder why there are consequences.
“Having an opinion in America is going to get you killed. We’ve gone so left. … Now the Republican Party looks very comfortable for people (like me),” he said, noting the irony of saying so as a gay man in Utah.
Eyewitness describes fatal shooting: ‘It was just terrible’
At a small makeshift memorial outside the Timpanogos Regional Hospital, about a dozen mourners lit candles, held flags, and talked to each other in muffled voices. One of those paying his respects was Ammon Paxton, 19, who said he was about four people away from Kirk when the conservative activist was shot.
Paxton said he heard the shot go off, then saw the bullet hit Kirk. He said he watched him fall over and collapse.
“I can’t even describe how gruesome it was. It was just terrible,” he admitted. “He was one of my biggest heroes and my greatest inspirations. I looked up to him a lot.”
Paxton condemned the shooting, which he called an “assassination,” and said he and other young conservatives will fight back against what he called violence from the Left, but within the traditional definition of “conservatism.”
“I was pushed further right due to this event today, and I will not back down,” he said.
But asked if he had a message for angry young conservatives who might be baited into retaliation for the shooting, Paxton said they should “stay focused on Jesus.”
“This is not what Charlie Kirk would have wanted,” Paxton urged. “He was a peacemaker.”
— Will Carless
Utah residents grieve: ‘I felt drawn to come here ‘
Near the hospital sign, about a dozen others gathered, speaking only in hushed voices. A man played an acoustic guitar. Mourners placed candles and flowers near the sign and then stood back in silence.
Kim Pyper of Pleasant Grove, Utah, and her adult son said they came to Timpanogos Regional Hospital because they believed Kirk’s body had been taken there after the shooting. She said the “shock and melancholy” brought by the day’s events made her want to be with like-minded people — to both feel support and support Kirk.
Pyper said she felt his presence there.
“I felt drawn to come here tonight,” said Pyper, standing off to the side of the makeshift memorial outside Timpanogos Regional Hospital.
— Melissa Galbraith
Law enforcement agencies gather at a makeshift command center
At a makeshift command center on the Utah Valley University campus late Wednesday, dozens of officers from several agencies, including the FBI, Utah Department of Public Safety, and local police departments, milled around, waiting for orders or leads.Inside a glass-walled office, officials set up whiteboards and communications equipment.In the adjacent hallways, officers and sheriffs scanned their cellphones, continuously scanning for news and occasionally swapping tips and rumors.
— Will Carless
Officials: 2 people taken into custody had no ties to the fatal shooting
Two people who were taken into custody on Wednesday did not have any connection to the shooting of Kirk, the FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety said in a joint statement.
One person was initially taken into custody as a suspect but was later released and charged with obstruction by university police, according to the statement. A second person was also taken into custody but was released after interrogation with law enforcement.
“There are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals,” the statement said. “There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter.”
The FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety said the shooting is believed to be a targeted attack.
“The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard. Any additional clarifications cannot be provided to protect the integrity of our investigation,” the statement added.
Donald Trump Jr. calls Kirk ‘like a little brother’
“He was like a little brother to me — and to millions of people around the world — he was a true inspiration,” Trump Jr. said in a lengthy, heartfelt X post, hours after the Turning Point co-founder was fatally shot. “He was one of the most courageous, principled men I’ve ever known, and he lived every day with purpose.”
In the social media post, Trump Jr. praised Kirk for the impact he had on young people, “reaching them in masses.” Trump Jr. said Kirk gave those young voters the courage to stand up and to think for themselves.
Despite his sometimes controversial rhetoric, Trump Jr. wrote that Kirk was never a threat to anyone. He described Kirk as a loving husband, father, leader, and fighter whose character and conviction were rare.
Trump is scheduled to make an appearance at Yankee Stadium, where the team is expected to hold a pregame ceremony to recognize the victims and heroes of 9/11.
— James H. Williams
Mourners gather outside Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Phoenix
Supporters of Kirk gathered outside the headquarters of Turning Point USA in Phoenix on Wednesday. Solemn individuals and young families with children dropped off flowers, shed tears, and embraced one another in the moments and hours after the shooting.
Strangers called each other “brother” and “sister,” and knelt to pray, asking God to heal and comfort Kirk’s wife and their children. They shared how Kirk’s unapologetic willingness to speak his mind gave them the confidence to stand proudly in their faith and morals.
“We live in America. We have the First Amendment right to free speech. He was killed because of that right, but he taught the rest of us that it’s OK to be strong,” said Pawnee Carter, 64.
Jacob Kaufman, 24, who brought flowers after clocking out of work, said, “There’s no place for any political violence, no matter whether it’s a right-wing activist or left-wing activist.”
— Taylor Seely, Arizona Republic
Melania Trump calls for ‘compassionate awareness’ after Kirk’s death
First lady Melania Trump expressed her concern for Kirk’s children in a social media post.
“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,” she wrote in a post on X Wednesday. “Charlie Kirk’s life should serve as a symbolic reminder that compassionate awareness elevates family, love, and country.”
— Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Charlie Kirk remembered by Phoenix churchgoers
A north Phoenix church that partnered with Kirk in his effort to elect Trump as president proceeded with its usual Wednesday evening service on Sept. 10, just hours after news of Kirk’s assassination in Utah sent shockwaves across the nation’s fraught political landscape.
Dream City Church Senior Pastor Luke Barnett called Kirk a patriot in his opening sermon, garnering robust applause. Many congregants took out their phones to record the tribute.
Jason and Alexis Van Skike of Gilbert, Arizona, saw Kirk at Dream City Church during two “Freedom Night in America” events. “He spoke truth with grace,” Alexis Van Skike said.
The couple made the roughly hourlong drive with their infant to attend the Sept. 10 service. They wanted to lay flowers at the base of the church’s American flag in memory of Kirk.
“What a legacy he’s leaving behind,” Jason Van Skike said. “Something we can all aspire to be.”
— Shawn Raymundo and Jose R. Gonzalez, Arizona Republic
Utah Valley University issues all-clear for campus hours after shooting
Utah Valley University issued an all-clear for the campus nearly six hours after the shooting. The university noted that “there is NO ongoing threat to campus” and the investigation is ongoing.
The school had closed its campus following the incident. Earlier, the university said the campus would be closed and classes would be canceled until Monday, Sept. 15.
“On behalf of Utah Valley University, we are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk, a guest to our campus. Our hearts go out to his family,” the school said in a statement. “As we grieve with our students, faculty, and staff who bore witness to this unspeakable tragedy, UVU campuses will be closed from September 11-14.”
Following the shooting, the school urged people to leave the campus as police continued their investigation. Confusion and fear quickly spread across the campus.
“No one should die over something like this. Whether you’re in support or not, it’s a tragedy,” Tyler Knudsen, a sophomore at the university who attended the gathering, told USA TODAY.
AG Bondi: ‘We will not rest until justice is served’
In a statement on X, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called Kirk an “American hero whose love for God, country, and family guided every step of his life.”
“He was a faithful servant who poured himself into the fight for justice and freedom,” Bondi said. “He challenged his generation with conviction, intellect, and dialogue. He believed deeply in the power of ideas and in the responsibility each of us has to defend the truth.”
Bondi said she was devastated by Kirk’s death, adding that her “heart aches” for Kirk’s wife and their two children.
“Charlie’s legacy of faith, love, and service will endure in the lives he shaped and the cause he so selflessly championed,” she said. “We will honor him and we will not rest until justice is served.”
FBI now says the ‘subject’ in custody ‘has been released’
Patel said the FBI has released a person of interest in the shooting death of Kirk, less than two hours after he announced publicly that the bureau had that person in custody.
“The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement,” Patel said in a post on X at 7:59 p.m. ET. “Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency.”
Patel had earlier posted, at 6:21 p.m. ET, that a subject – FBI speak for a person of interest – had been apprehended.
“We refer you to the Director’s post and have nothing additional to provide,” the FBI said when reached for comment late Wednesday.
— Josh Meyer
Officials provide more information about the suspected shooter
Utah Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety Beau Mason told reporters during a news conference that authorities found potential information about the shooter on area CCTV.
“We do know he was dressed in all dark clothing, but we don’t have much better info than that,” he told reporters.
Authorities are trying to see if the person in custody matches the person in the security footage, Mason said. He added that the gunshot might have been fired from a rooftop on campus, but law enforcement officials aren’t certain yet.
The FBI’s Salt Lake City field office announced on X that it has set up a digital media tip line for information about the shooting. The Utah Department of Public Safety and the FBI are leading the criminal investigation, according to Mason.
‘Nothing like this happens in Utah’
Hours after the fatal shooting of Kirk, the locked-down Utah Valley University campus was quiet. Law enforcement agents carrying machine guns and an officer with a police dog were among the few walking around.
Marked and unmarked police vehicles blocked traffic from entering campus off University Parkway as SUVs and trucks from a variety of nearby cities and county police agencies lined the curbs in front of the Browning Administration and Keller buildings and up Campus Drive.
Flowers — purple mums, white and yellow lilies, and pink roses — had been laid near the university sign.
Lance Suaste, a junior at the university, was walking past the nearby Mountain Run apartments, having just been dropped off after spending the day at a friend’s house. He said he was near the Lossee Center shortly after noon when he saw people running.
Suaste and friends asked what was happening and were told about the shooting. As the campus was being locked down, he went to his car and spent the day with friends.
“Nothing like this happens in Utah. It doesn’t feel real, so it’s very shocking,” Suaste said. He said the shooting was terrible, but he wasn’t worried about the shooter still being at large. He planned to spend the rest of the day in the dorm – as usual.
— Melissa Galbraith
‘In the crosshairs’: Left fears ‘vengeance’ after Kirk killing
A top progressive political commentator is worried that Kirk’s killing could open the door to acts of “vengeance” from people upset over the shooting.
“Part of me worries about the vengeance that will go on in the aftermath of this,” said Hasan Piker, a left-wing commentator who livestreams his reactions to the news to millions of followers. “This puts a lot of people I know, including myself, in the crosshairs.”
The Twitch live streamer’s comments came as he watched influential right-wing figures demonize progressives in the wake of the shooting, even as it remained unclear who was behind the attack.
“They sent a trained sniper to assassinate Charlie Kirk while he was sitting next to a table of hats that said 47,” posted Laura Loomer, a right-wing influencer who is known for having the ear of Trump. “The Left are terrorists.”
“I suspect the administration will use this as an opportunity to go after as many people as possible that they have declared ideological enemies,” Piker told viewers. “Sky’s the limit here.”
— Michael Loria
6 police officers were working at the campus event
Jeff Long, chief of the Utah Valley University Police Department, said the event on Wednesday was held at an open outdoor venue.
The event was “in kind of a bowl area here on the central campus,” Long said at the news conference. “We have a waterfall area, and so he (Kirk) was kind of in a lower area surrounded by buildings.”
Six officers were working the event, where more than 3,000 people were in attendance, according to Long. The police chief noted that police officers in plain clothes were also in the crowd, along with Kirk’s private security team.
“We trained for these things. And you think you have things covered. And these things, unfortunately, they happen,” Long added. “You try to get your bases covered. And unfortunately, today we didn’t, and because of that, we had this tragic incident.”
‘No one should die over something like this’
Utah Valley University sophomores Dario Perez and Knudsen had been at the university’s Lossee Center for about 20 minutes when they heard pops and what they said sounded like fireworks.
“Everyone ducked for a second,” Perez told USA TODAY. “Then panic set in.”
“Hysteria” swept through the outdoor crowd as the audience realized Kirk had been shot, the two students said.
“It was a big shock moment,” Knudsen said, adding that members of the crowd then started running away.
He and Perez said they were surprised there was not more security, given the controversial speaker and the size of the crowd. They said they’d bought tickets for the event, but when they arrived, there were no ticket takers or metal detectors.
The students said they are not Kirk supporters, but they “wanted to hear both sides” of the debate.
Turning Point USA mourns death of founder
Turning Point USA, the largest conservative youth organization in the country, said in a social media post just before 6 p.m. EDT, “It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gunshot.”
“We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers,” the organization said. “We ask that you please respect their privacy and dignity at this time.”
Biden sends condolences to Charlie Kirk’s family
Former President Joe Biden offered his condolences to Kirk’s family on social media.
“There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now,” Biden wrote on X. “Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.”
– Terry Collins
JD Vance reacts to Charlie Kirk’s death
Vice President JD Vance shared Trump’s statement confirming Kirk’s death on X.
“Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,” Vance said.
‘I’ve seen things I’ve never seen before’
Eva Terry and Emma Pitts, two reporters from the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah, arrived on the Utah Valley University campus early Wednesday to talk to the excited crowd decked out in red, white and blue that had gathered for Turning Point USA event.
Hours later, Terry told a USA TODAY reporter: “I’ve seen things I’ve never seen before.”
Kirk had called up one student and answered a question, then called on a second student, who asked: “How many mass shooters have been transgender,” Terry said. “Too many,” responded Kirk, Terry said.
When the student asked a follow-up question, “(Kirk) picked up his microphone, and before he was able to speak, a bullet hit the left side of his neck, and it was pretty bloody,” Terry said.
“Then he fell off his chair, and then everyone dropped to the ground,” she said. “I didn’t see anyone catch him. I saw him slump out of his chair, and that’s the last thing I saw.”
Like many, after hearing the single shot, Terry said she and Pitts first ducked to the ground, holding on to each other and saying a prayer. Then they ran, seeking shelter in a nearby building.
Who is Charlie Kirk?
Kirk became a national figure as a conservative influencer and as the founder of Turning Point USA, an organization that pushes for conservative politics on high school and college campuses.
He was married to Erika Kirk, an entrepreneur, and the father of two children. Their daughter was born in August 2022, and they had a son in 2024.
Kirk had 5.3 million followers on X and hosted a popular podcast and radio program, “The Charlie Kirk Show.” He had also recently co-hosted “Fox & Friends” on Fox News.
He was part of an ecosystem of pro-Trump conservative influencers – including Jack Posobiec, Laura Loomer, Candace Owens, and others – who have helped to amplify the president’s agenda. Kirk frequently attacked mainstream media and engaged in culture war issues around race, gender and immigration, often in a provocative style.
Video shows crowd reacting to the shooting
Videos of the shooting posted to social media show Kirk seated beneath a tent and speaking about gang violence into a microphone when he’s hit in the neck. Kirk slumps over as he begins to bleed from the gunshot wound.
Social media platforms, including YouTube and X, have begun removing videos of the attack.
A video taken from the top of the venue where Kirk was speaking shows members of the crowd reacting to the attack by dropping to the ground and then running from the scene. One shot can be heard in the video.
Additional videos of the event show the aftermath of the shooting. Attendees duck for cover and return to pick up items they had abandoned.
– Michael Loria
Charlie Kirk killing comes amid recent political violence
The motive for the attack on Kirk is unknown, but it comes after a string of recent political violence across the United States.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement she is “deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah.”
“Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family,” Harris said on social media. “Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.”
Gavin Newsom denounces political violence after Charlie Kirk shooting
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who interviewed Kirk on a recent podcast episode, weighed in calling the attack “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible.”
“In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form,” wrote Newsom.
RFK Jr. responds to Charlie Kirk shooting
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who has participated in several of Kirk’s podcasts and with whom he held a Make America Healthy Again Town Hall, sent well wishes to the conservative activist. “We love you Charlie Kirk. Praying for you,” Kennedy wrote on X.
– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Kirk shot after controversy over speaking engagement
Utah Valley University was the latest stop on Kirk’s The American Comeback Tour with his organization Turning Point USA. The event was scheduled for 12 p.m. local time on Sept. 10.
Almost 1,000 people had signed a petition to bar Kirk from speaking at the university. More than 6,800 people had signed a petition requesting that the faculty prevent Kirk from speaking at a similar event at Utah State University.
“Allowing him to speak on our campus would not only misrepresent the values we hold dear but also create an environment where divisive rhetoric could flourish,” the petition read.
The university affirmed its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue” and urged faculty and staff to keep institutional communication neutral in a statement days before the shooting.
“UVU, including its leaders speaking on behalf of the institution, does not take official positions on political, social, or cultural controversies unless they directly impact our mission, operations, or core values,” the statement said. “This neutrality ensures that our campus remains a true marketplace of ideas, where faculty, staff, and students are empowered to express viewpoints without institutional bias.”
Contributing: Karissa Waddick and Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY; Reuters
Kirk, 31, was speaking outside in the university’s courtyard on Wednesday afternoon. The incident, captured in graphic detail in video clips that rapidly spread around the internet, sparked fear and panic among the some 3,000 attendees, prompting the school to evacuate the campus and close down as authorities investigated.
Authorities are searching for the suspected shooter after two people had been detained in the hours after the shooting, including one who was interrogated by law enforcement. Both were subsequently released.
“There are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals,” the Utah Department of Public Safety and the FBI said in a statement. “There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter.”
The shooting, which officials have described as a “targeted attack” and “political assassination,” drew swift condemnation from Republicans and Democrats. Trump, who ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff until sunset on Sunday, has vowed that his administration will “find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity.”
Vance cancels 9/11 New York trip to visit Utah to pay respects to Charlie Kirk’s family
Vice President JD Vance will travel to Salt Lake City on Sept. 11 to pay respects to Kirk’s family, canceling his previous plans to visit New York City to honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to a source familiar with Vance’s plans.
Vance will be joined by second lady Usha Vance.
JD Vance was a close friend of the charismatic conservative activist, who was fatally shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. A manhunt for the suspect is still active.
-Joey Garrison and Francesca Chambers
Video of Kirk’s death spread quickly online. Think before you watch it.
Getting confronted with gruesome, horrific imagery has, unfortunately, become an assumed risk when logging onto social media. Mental health and media experts, however, say the proliferation of violent videos online can have a deeply negative impact on our psyches − and that you don’t have to view material like this in order to stay informed or have empathy for the victims.
– Charles Trepany
What time was Charlie Kirk shot?
The shot rang out at about 12:20 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Sept. 10, authorities said. Kirk’s event was scheduled to begin some 20 minutes earlier.
Kirk was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem just over 2 miles away from campus and was pronounced dead hours later, the Utah Department of Public Safety said in an update.
Who killed Charlie Kirk? What we know
Authorities have not named anyone believed to be involved in the shooting as of Thursday morning.
The shooter was “dressed in all dark clothing,” Utah Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety Beau Mason said on Wednesday, noting that investigators were looking at security footage on campus for hints about the suspect.
The person is believed to have fired the shot from the roof of a building down to the student courtyard where the event was taking place, the department said in an update.
Six campus police officers and Kirk’s traveling security team were working at the event, the department said.
Eyewitness describes fatal shooting: ‘It was just terrible’
At a small makeshift memorial outside Timpanogos Regional Hospital, about a dozen mourners lit candles, held flags, and talked to each other in muffled voices. One of those paying his respects was Ammon Paxton, 19, who said he was about four people away from Kirk when the conservative activist was shot.
Paxton said he heard the shot go off, then saw the bullet hit Kirk. He said he watched him fall over and collapse.
“I can’t even describe how gruesome it was. It was just terrible,” he admitted. “He was one of my biggest heroes and my greatest inspirations. I looked up to him a lot.”
Paxton condemned the shooting, which he called an “assassination,” and said he and other young conservatives will fight back against what he called violence from the Left, but within the traditional definition of “conservatism.”
“I was pushed further right due to this event today, and I will not back down,” he said.
But asked if he had a message for angry young conservatives who might be baited into retaliation for the shooting, Paxton said they should “stay focused on Jesus.”
“This is not what Charlie Kirk would have wanted,” Paxton urged. “He was a peacemaker.”
Trump vows vengeance against ‘radical Left’ for Charlie Kirk slaying
Calling Kirk “a martyr for truth and freedom,” Trump slammed the “radical Left” and said its heated rhetoric was “directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.”
In a four-minute live address posted to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump – sitting in the Oval Office – said he was “filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination” of Kirk on a college campus in Utah.The young firebrand, 31, was a staunch political ally of Trump and helped fuel his political comeback and return to the White House in January. He had featured red “Make America Great Again” baseball caps on stage with him when he was shot once in the neck while talking to students as part of his “The American Comeback Tour.”Read more here.
Utah campus somber in wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing: ‘Doesn’t feel real’
Panic and fear that broke out after Kirk was fatally gunned down during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University became shock and grief as students on campus began to process the attack.
Hours after Wednesday’s shooting and a campus lockdown, a huge bouquet had been placed near a prominent university sign as police carrying machine guns patrolled the university, and the community hunkered down.
Lance Suaste, a university junior, said that she was near where Kirk was speaking when the shooting happened and that she saw the panicked crowd running.
“It doesn’t feel real so it’s very shocking,” university junior Lance Suaste told USA TODAY. “Nothing like this happens in Utah.” Read more here.
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist known for pushing the envelope
Kirk, who was married and the father of two young children, had just returned to the United States from an overseas speaking tour in South Korea and Japan.
Known for his often-provocative discourse on topics ranging from race and gender to immigration and firearms regulation, Kirk often invited members of event crowds to debate him live.
At the moment he was shot, Kirk, a staunch advocate of the Constitution’s Second Amendment right to bear arms, was being questioned by an audience member about gun violence, according to multiple videos of the event posted online.
Where is Utah Valley University located?
Utah Valley University is located in Orem, Utah, just outside of Provo and about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. The university has over 45,000 students, according to its website.
Kirk’s appearance in Orem on Wednesday was the first in a planned 15-event “American Comeback Tour” of U.S. college campuses. Other universities on the tour included: Colorado State University, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Virginia Tech, Utah State University, Montana State University, the University of North Dakota, Indiana University, Louisiana State University and Ole Miss.
