The shocking murder of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk has left the nation reeling. At just 31, the right-wing activist was gunned down while fielding questions at a rally on the campus of Utah Valley University.
Here’s a look at the bold final statements he made right before the deadly attack. Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, that powerhouse conservative youth organization, passed away at 31 after being shot during an appearance at a Utah college.
Former President Donald Trump, who described Kirk as a “very, very good friend,” broke the news on his Truth Social platform:
“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. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
It all went down when someone from the crowd stepped up to the mic to grill Kirk on mass shootings.
A photo captures Charlie Kirk addressing the crowd at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. As the founder of Turning Point USA, he was midway through his “American Comeback Tour” when a bullet struck him in the neck, ending his life.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, their three-year-old daughter, and a son who’s just 16 months old.
The FBI says no one’s in custody yet for the shooting. They had picked up a suspect earlier that day but let them go after some questioning.
Officials are calling it a “political assassination” and think the shooter worked alone, taking the shot from the roof of the Losee Center, about 200 feet away from Kirk’s spot on stage.
FBI Director Kash Patel put out a statement: “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency.”
Never Backed Down on Tough Topics Like Crime and Shootings
Kirk was known for his unapologetic support of Trump and old-school values. He’d travel to colleges all over the country for his American Comeback Tour, diving into heated debates. At UVU before, there was even a petition with over 7,000 signatures trying to keep him off campus.
He was always vocal about crime, mass shootings, and standing firm on the Second Amendment. Back at a Turning Point USA event in May 2023, he said:
“We should have an honest and clear reductionist view of gun violence, but we should not have a utopian one. You will never live in a society where you have an armed citizenry and not a single gun death. That is nonsense, it’s drivel. But I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth to have a cost of unfortunately some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God given rights.”
Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images
Those comments came just a week after the heartbreaking shooting at Christian Covenant School in Nashville, where three kids and three adults lost their lives. On his podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, he also talked about the Uvalde school shooting in May 2022, calling it an “act of evil”:
“There’s moments in time. And there are stories that happen where you just take a pause and the evil that is committed is just so overwhelming. It almost like ruins your day and it just impacts everything you do. And it kind of dominates the conversation for the time being between your friends and family members.”
Reactions Pour In From Leaders
Kirk built his reputation by sparking real conversations among young people in America, and he never shied away from a fight—there are tons of viral videos out there of him clashing with liberal students on campuses.
Leaders from both sides of the aisle have spoken out. Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox called it “a dark day for our state, it’s a tragic day for our nation.”
Even California Governor Gavin Newsom, who’s had Kirk on his podcast before, weighed in: “The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”
As a tribute, President Trump has ordered all American flags to fly at half-mast nationwide until Sunday evening.