Charlie Kirk, the outspoken conservative commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, has died at the age of 31 following a campus shooting in Utah. Former President Donald Trump announced the news Wednesday afternoon on his Truth Social platform.
The incident unfolded around 1 p.m. local time during a student Q&A session at Utah Valley University in Orem. Hundreds had gathered for the event, including demonstrators, when a single gunshot rang out. Video circulating online shows Kirk being struck in the neck.
University officials initially said the bullet was fired from the top of a nearby building about 200 yards away. Early reports indicated that a suspect was taken into custody, but later statements from a spokesperson created confusion, first confirming an arrest, then clarifying that the individual had been released and was no longer under arrest.
Kirk rose to national prominence at just 18, when he co-founded Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit aimed at influencing politics on high school and college campuses. Over the years, his fiery exchanges with students went viral online, and his posts often drew sharp divides.
A staunch ally of Donald Trump, Kirk played a prominent role in promoting baseless claims of election fraud following the 2020 election. He also appeared before Congress over the January 6 riots after his organization facilitated buses to the rally in Washington, though he invoked the Fifth Amendment during questioning.
In a post following the shooting, Trump called Kirk “a great guy from top to bottom,” urging Americans to pray for him.
Outside of politics, Kirk was a family man. He met Erika Frantzve in 2018, and the couple married three years later. Together they had two children, a daughter born in 2022 and a son in 2024.
Charlie Kirk was 31 years old.
RIP
