Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot on Wednesday (10) while participating in a debate at Utah Valley University, in Orem, in the state of Utah. According to the institution’s spokesperson, Ellen Treanor, the shots came from a building about 180 meters away, about 20 minutes after the start of his speech. The activist was rushed to medical attention and underwent surgery, but did not survive.
Founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, Kirk established himself as one of the main leaders of the American far right and a close ally of Trump and the Republican Party.
Reactions and national mourning decree
Still on Wednesday (10), Trump used his Truth Social network to confirm the influencer’s death. “The great, and even legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had a better grasp of the heart of U.S. youth than Charlie. He was loved and admired by all, especially by me, and now he is no longer with us,” the president wrote.
Trump decreed five days of official mourning in the United States and initially blamed the “radical left” for the tragedy, classifying it as a consequence of the “demonization of political adversaries.” However, in his speech on Thursday (11), he avoided directly assigning blame.
In addition to the mourning decree, Trump confirmed that he will attend a baseball game in New York on Thursday, where a tribute to the 9/11 victims will also take place. The event is expected to include a new tribute to Kirk’s memory, now remembered as one of the most influential figures in young conservatism in the United States.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, opened his speech at a Pentagon ceremony in memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks with a statement about Charlie Kirk’s death. According to Folha de S. Paulo, Trump described the conservative influencer’s assassination as “heinous” and stated that the country is in mourning.
“Before we begin, let me express the horror and sadness that so many Americans felt over the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk. Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of freedom, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” the president declared. Trump also announced that Kirk will be posthumously honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award from the U.S. government.
Kirk’s trajectory and influence
Raised in a conservative environment, Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012, when he was just 18 years old. The group grew rapidly, gaining support from major Republican donors and positioning the young activist as a reference for right-wing youth in the country. Kirk was considered one of the most influential voices in American conservatism. His organization operated on more than 3,500 university campuses, promoting conferences, debates, and political mobilizations.
He also hosted the popular podcast “Prove Me Wrong,” in which he challenged students and opponents to defend their positions in public discussions.
His notoriety increased with Trump’s election in 2016, when he became one of the president’s main defenders on universities and social media. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, he gained even more prominence by attacking the World Health Organization, which he referred to as “Wuhan Health Organization.”
Kirk also became known for spreading conspiracy theories, for homophobic and racist statements, and for openly defending the “Maga” (“Make America Great Again”) movement. In 2020, he was temporarily suspended from Twitter, now X, for spreading false information, including defending the use of hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19, even after scientific proof of its ineffectiveness.
The activist’s death occurs amid a scenario of political polarization in the U.S., where debates on gender identity, freedom of expression, and gun violence are increasingly heated.
Police find rifle used in attack on Charlie Kirk, but suspect remains at large
Investigators are analyzing security camera footage and videos that show the suspect’s face, described as someone of “college age.”
U.S. authorities are still searching for the person responsible for the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, killed on Wednesday (10) during an event at Utah Valley University. The FBI confirmed that the shooter fled through a nearby residential area off campus shortly after the fatal shot. The information is from g1.
On the morning of Thursday (11), police found the high-precision rifle used in the crime in a woods near the university. Investigators are analyzing security camera footage and videos that show the suspect’s face, described as someone of “college age,” who allegedly infiltrated among the students. The images, however, have not been released.
U.S. investigators found ammunition with transgender and antifascist inscriptions on the rifle allegedly used in Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the U.S. publication, the .30 caliber hunting rifle was found wrapped in a towel in a forested area near the university. The antique-model weapon still had a spent cartridge in the chamber and three more unfired ones in the magazine, all with words engraved on them.
Ongoing investigation
Department of Justice authorities emphasized that the investigation is still in its preliminary stage. The FBI detained two suspects but released both after initial interrogations. The hunt for the shooter continues.
Videos recorded during the event show the moment Kirk was shot on stage while debating a student.
Details of the attack
Charlie Kirk was hit in the neck while answering questions from an audience of about three thousand people. Just seconds before the shot, he had been questioned about the number of armed attacks in the U.S. His response, “Counting or not gang violence?,” was interrupted by the shot that knocked him from his chair.
A video obtained by Reuters shows the exact moment of the shot. In the images, also shared by Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kirk appears in a tent on campus before being aided by security. He was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery but did not survive.
Source: www.brasil247.com