Charlie Kirk, the right-leaning political commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, died yesterday, aged just 31, after being shot while answering questions at a rally at Utah Valley University.
The conservative activist regularly toured college campuses, garnering a reputation for provoking strong political debates and opinion-splitting rhetoric.
But yesterday, September 10, a tragedy played out at Kirk’s “American Comeback” tour with Turning Point USA, when an audience member approached the microphone to challenge the host on mass shootings.
“Do you know many transgender Americans have been shooters over the last 10 years?” the individual asked.
Kirk responded confidently, “Too many,” as the crowd burst into applause.
After a brief back-and-forth, a single gunshot rang out. According to reports, the bullet in question struck Kirk in the neck.
Panic erupted among rally-goers as Kirk slumped in his chair following the shot. Authorities confirmed that the 31-year-old was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, where he died around 90 minutes after the bullet struck him.
Kirk leaves behind his wife, Erika Frantzve, their three-year-old daughter, and a 16-month-old son.
TMZ now claim to have uncovered haunting dispatch audio from the shooting, during which responders can be heard briefing their counterparts over the radio. They first report that an individual has been shot at Utah Valley University, adding that the shooter’s location is not known.
Later on in the audio, dispatch personnel speak about a person being located on the top of a building east of the school’s library. They don’t reveal who the person is in the audio, social media footage that has since hit the internet seems to show an individual standing on the roof of a nearby building.
Responders say the person is wearing jeans, a black shirt and a black vest.
Donald Trump, who called Kirk a “very, very good friend,” shared news of Kirk’s death on Truth Social:
“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!”
Kirk had previously spoken about crime and mass shootings while defending the Second Amendment. At a Turning Point USA event in May 2023, he said:
”We should have an honest and clear reductionist view of gun violence, but we should not have a utopian one. You will never live in a society where you have an armed citizenry and not a single gun death. That is nonsense, it’s drivel. But I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth to have a cost of unfortunately some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God given rights.”
Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk.
