Salem Radio Network host and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon.
Pictures and videos of the event were published to social media moments after the event took place.
A video shows Kirk speaking under a tent, with what appears to be gunshots in his direction. The brief moments seen of Kirk after the sound show him recoil. A separate, more graphic video has been released on social media, showing Kirk being struck in the upper chest or neck area.
A separate video showed the crowd dispersing after the gunshots were heard. Utah Valley University shared that Charlie Kirk was the only person shot at the event.
In a post to Truth Social, President Donald Trump revealed that Kirk had succumbed to the injuries suffered during the shooting.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote. “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, who launched Turning Point USA at 18, was on his first stop of his college tour this fall when a gunman shot him once earlier this afternoon.
Kirk was a prolific media figure. He hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, a leading conservative podcast and talk radio program syndicated nationwide on the Salem Radio Network, regularly ranking among the top 10 news shows and in the top 20 overall programs. Earlier this year, he also launched a weekly television talk show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
An author of multiple bestselling books — including Campus Battlefield and The MAGA Doctrine — Kirk was known for his energetic, combative style and deep ties to conservative politics. He further expanded his influence through political advocacy groups like Turning Point Action and Turning Point Faith. Charlie Kirk, 31, is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two young children.
“Charlie was more than a broadcaster—he was a fearless defender of truth and a faithful servant of God,” said Salem Media Group CEO David Santrella. “This assassination was not just an attack on Charlie, it was an attack on free speech and on the values Charlie championed every day. His absence leaves a tremendous void, but his legacy of faith, courage, and conviction will continue to inspire generations.”
“I have had the privilege of working with Charlie for nearly a decade,” added Salem’s Chief Strategy Officer Bradley Parscale. “He was part of the Salem family. His voice was fearless, unyielding, and relentless in the defense of faith and freedom. This heinous act of evil was meant to silence him, but as Christians, we know darkness cannot overcome the light. Charlie’s influence cannot and will not be silenced.”
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