A video taken at the event where Charlie Kirk was assassinated appears to show a shooter on the roof.
Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative influencer and President Donald Trump ally, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday during a question-and-answer session on campus.
The Context
Kirk was the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA and a frequent political commentator and organizer.
While it is not known why he was shot, his killing comes amid concerns of deepening political polarization and violence in the U.S.
In June, Minnesota Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in a targeted political act.
What To Know
A video taken by a man who attended the event, Tanner Maxwell, shows a person running across the roof of a building at the university. Maxwell, who called the incident “scary” shared the footage with the New York Times.
Meanwhile, the New York Times said that a second video circulating on social media appears to show a person lying on the same roof before the shooting. This video, at the time of writing, has accrued over 650,000 views.
It is not known who the figure in either video is or whether they were responsible for the shooting. The search for the perpetrator is still ongoing.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post: “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!”
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in an emailed statement to Newsweek on Wednesday: “Today, in yet another horrific act of targeted political violence, Charlie Kirk was murdered in cold blood on a school campus. Though we’re still awaiting further details, in all likelihood, he was murdered for expressing his beliefs. I am praying for his family, his friends, and his loved ones.”
Phil Lyman, a former Republican state representative in Utah told the BBC the shooting was “really traumatic” and “a really pivotal point in America.”
“There’s going to be some real repercussions here and what I hope happens is people understand what Charlie stood for – his Christian values, his love of family and freedom and that they don’t get scared away from that because I believe that’s what someone is trying to do is scare us away from those principles.”
Former President Barack Obama said on X on Wednesday: “We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.”
What Happens Next
A manhunt to find Kirk’s killer is still ongoing. Two people who were arrested have since been released.
Kirk is survived by his wife and two children.
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