Trump loyalist and Ukraine opponent: Latest on Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting

How did the killing at the University of Utah Valley happen?

Kirk was shot on Wednesday, 10 September, at Utah Valley University in the American city of Orem. He was speaking as part of his “American Comeback Tour,” during

which he held political debates at universities around the country. This was his first speech out of 15 planned. About 300 people participated in the event.

The activist had set up a table with the inscription "prove that I am wrong" – a format that he often used for discussions on sharp topics. Immediately before the shots were fired, Kirk was answering a question about mass shootings and gun violence.

According to NBC News, the sounds of gunfire were heard about the 20th minute of the speech. Kirk was shot in the neck. He was hospitalized, and his condition was described as critical.

In video recordings posted online, one can see him addressing a large crowd outside on the university campus. After the shot, Kirk begins to bleed from the neck and falls backwards, terrified witnesses run away.

As the BBC writes that, the shot was fired from a distance of between 100 and 200 meters. Initially, local authorities stated that they had detained a suspect in the attack, but later it turned out that the shooter had not yet been detained. According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, which is investigating together with the FBI, the shooter likely fired one shot from the roof of a neighboring building on the university campus in what appears to have been a “targeted attack.”

Trump confirmed Kirk’s death and took the case under "personal control"

A little later, US President Donald Trump, on his social media platform Truth Social, reported that Kirk died from his wound. The head of state ordered that as a sign of mourning, flags across the country be lowered for four days, until Sunday evening.

"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!” Trump wrote.

As CNN reports, the American leader promised to "find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it." He associated Kirk’s killing with the rhetoric of “left radicals” and his own attempted attack in Butler (Pennsylvania) and other high-profile acts of violence.

"For years, those on the radical Left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals," he added. "This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now," said Trump in a video address to Americans.

What is known so far. Were any suspects arrested?

Director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kesh Patel, said that two suspects in the shooting were detained, then released after questioning. One of the two was officially charged with obstructing the investigation by the Utah State University Police.

On social media, there were photos circulating of an elderly man after Kirk’s killing. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, he was known to local residents as a "political provocateur." It was he who was charged.

The second man was initially called by Utah Governor Spencer Cox a "person of interest" in the case.

Photo: Charlie Kirk's murder is being called politically motivated (Getty Images)

At a press conference of investigators and state authorities of Utah, it was announced that the investigation continues. It was reported that investigators are looking for evidence at "several active crime scenes."

This refers to the place where Kirk was shot, as well as other locations where the shooter and the victim were.

How the killing of Kirk is being reacted to in the USA and the world

The Republican governor of Utah called the event a "political killing" and did not rule out a death sentence for the shooter. In his words, "this is a tragic day for the nation."

The White House blamed Democratic Party politicians and their supporters for “supporting crime.”

An attempt to honor Kirk’s memory with a moment of silence in the US House of Representatives in Washington descended into shouts between Democrats and Republicans. Experts fear that the killing of Charlie Kirk may further inflame a divided American society and provoke new unrest amid rising political violence.

In addition to Republicans outraged by Kirk’s killing, statements condemning the shooting also came from Democratic Party politicians.

"In our country there should be no place for such violence. It must stop immediately," reacted to the high-profile assassination former US President Joe Biden.

Vice President JD Vance spoke about his many years of friendship with Kirk, noting that “just as I was, in 2016 he was skeptical of Donald Trump," but later "he came to see him as a necessary leader."

Photo: Charlie Kirk helped Trump win the elections (Getty Images)

In a long post on the social network X, Vance wrote that it was Kirk himself who insisted on his candidacy as vice president from Trump, and when this happened "Charlie was there for me… was constantly calling and texting, checking on our family and offering guidance and prayers."

According to him, some of the most successful events were organized not by Trump’s headquarters, but by TPUSA – the youth conservative organization co-founded by Kirk.

"So much of the success we've had in this administration traces directly to Charlie's ability to organize and convene. He didn't just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government," Vance wrote.

Nancy Pelosi, Gabrielle Giffords, Steve Scalise, Josh Shapiro, Gretchen Whitmer, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – all well-known American figures who themselves have faced political violence – expressed condolences and condemned the shooting.

Leaders of the whole world, including Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney and Prime Minister of Great Britain Keir Starmer, published messages condemning political violence.

What is known about Kirk and his criticism of Ukraine

Charlie Kirk, 31-year-old host of the podcast The Charlie Kirk Show and conservative activist, at age 18, founded the organization Turning Point USA, which popularizes right-wing ideas among students and schoolchildren.

He never obtained higher education. According to media reports, Kirk left his studies. He gained his popularity thanks to spreading conservative messages and conspiracy theories, and his accounts on social networks had millions of subscribers.

Politically, Kirk was one of the most ardent supporters of Donald Trump. According to CNN, he, together with his organization, played a significant role in Trump’s victory in the 2024 elections, in particular by mobilizing young voters.

Also, the media noted that Kirk had direct contact with the President of the USA, with whom he regularly exchanged thoughts.

Photo: the activist left behind a wife and two small children (Getty Images)

It is known that he repeatedly spoke out against providing aid to Ukraine. In the spring of 2025, during one of his speeches, Kirk sharply criticized Kyiv.

"It is Zelenskyy now who is hindering a potential peace proposal," he stated.

Also, Kirk publicly read out a post by Trump with criticism of Ukraine and asserted that “Crimea cannot be returned to Ukraine,” because the peninsula, in his words, is large and supposedly “has always been part of Russia.”

"They are calling them to fight and die in a war that they cannot and could not win, because they simply wanted to kill Russians," added Kirk, commenting on the position of supporters of further support for Ukraine.

A detailed analysis of what he said about Ukraine — read in the RBC-Ukraine article.

Sources: CNN, NBC News, The Guardian, BBC, as well as statements of world leaders and various politicians, etc.