US President Donald Trump’s confirmation of the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, his close ally, at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday has sent shock waves through an already deeply divided nation.
“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”, Trump wrote on social media.
Calling it a “dark moment for America”, Trump in a video address from the Oval Office vowed to carry out a crackdown on those responsible, as he hailed Kirk as a “martyr for truth”.
“My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organisations that fund it and support it,” Trump said, blaming rhetoric from the “radical left” for the killing.
On Thursday, Trump announced that he will be awarding Kirk posthumously with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded by the US President.
Kirk, who was 31 years old, co-founded Turning Point USA, a non-profit promoting conservative values on school campuses, in 2021. He rose to fame through his confrontational campus debates and social media presence, becoming a key figure in mobilising young Republicans and aligning with Trump.
Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at an outdoor event at the university in Orem, Utah, where hundreds of people had gathered. The shooting occurred after he took a question from an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.
A video clip showed blood gushing from Kirk’s neck immediately after the shot. Kirk was then rushed to the hospital.
Investigators believe the single bullet that killed Kirk was fired from a university building rooftop some distance away, by a person wearing black. There were six university police officers assigned to the event, plus some private security, officials said.
The hunt for the killer continued after two suspects who were initially taken into custody were released, Utah officials said. One man was charged with obstruction.
Thursday morning, the FBI and the Utah Department of Public Safety gave an update on the manhunt for the killer.
Beau Mason, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner, the suspect “appears to be of college age” and that the authorities have “good video footage” of him.
Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, said that the “high-powered bold-action” rifle used in the assassination was recovered in woods.
In a time of heightened political polarisation, Kirk’s death has stunned Americans across the political spectrum, prompting an outpouring of grief, condemnation of violence, and calls for unity.
Flags on the White House’s north lawn were immediately lowered to half staff after Trump’s announcement. Remembering the father-of-two Kirk as a “great patriot”, Trump said he had ordered all American flags throughout the US lowered to half staff until Sunday evening.
Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox called Kirk’s killing “a political assassination”.
“This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” he said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson called the shooting “detestable”. He condemned political violence, saying in a social media post that “this is not who we are”, and led his chamber in a moment of silence.
Former US president Joe Biden said “there is no place in our country for this kind of violence”. “It must end now,” he added.
Kamala Harris, former US vice-president and the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024, said she was “deeply disturbed” by the act.
“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,” she added.
Kirk’s appearance on Wednesday was the first in a planned 15-event “American Comeback Tour” at universities around the country.
Kirk had a massive online following, with more than 5 million followers on social media. He also hosted a popular podcast and radio show, The Charlie Kirk Show.
Political violence is not new to the US. In July 2024, Trump was shot at during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania. A second assassination attempt two months later was foiled by federal agents.
In June, a Minnesota man shot dead a Democratic lawmaker and her husband in their home.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, was forced to flee his house in April after an arson attempt.
In the United States, where handguns and larger firearms are widely available, a cycle of mass shootings and calls for stricter gun laws is met with repeated political stalemate. Reform efforts have been consistently blocked by Republican opposition and the powerful gun lobby. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Additional reporting by Reuters, dpa and Associated Press
