Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer, was assassinated while speaking at an event hosted by Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Later that evening, Utah authorities began an investigation for Kirk’s assassin and located the suspect the following night.
At just 18 years old, Kirk entered the political scene of America. His early efforts revolved around promoting conservatism to young Americans, an approach he returned to in his later years. Kirk was a co-founder of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization, and acted as the institution’s former president until his death. Self-proclaimed as the “largest conservative movement” in America, Turning Point USA focuses on encouraging conservative principles in newer American generations, sponsoring events at places such as high schools and universities.
Kirk noticeably assisted President Donald J. Trump in garnering youth votes during the 2024 US presidential election, and the two worked closely together following President Trump’s victory. In response to Kirk’s assassination, President Trump released an official proclamation, ordering for all flags to be flown at half-mass from Sept. 10 to Sept. 14.
At approximately 12:10pm local time, a single gunshot was reportedly heard by those attending the event. The corresponding bullet pierced through Kirk’s neck, thus generating a large quantity of blood as confirmed by video footage of the assassination. Attendees were rushed off from the scene, and the university where the event was taking place promptly closed to accommodate the ongoing investigation. Classes at the university did not resume until the following Monday, Sept. 15.
In a video statement regarding the assassination, President Trump described the event as a “dark moment for America”, urging for justice to be served as citizens across the nation took a moment of silence for the deceased Kirk.
A public memorial service was held for Kirk on Sept. 21 and garnered a crowd of thousands. President Trump spoke on the assassination’s impact on the country as a whole.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, also spoke at the funeral, tearfully forgiving her husband’s assassin. She now leads Turning Point USA, the organization created by her former husband.
Several other conservative leaders addressed the large crowd, advocating for Charlie Kirk’s work to continue past his death and for his ideals to outlive him.
