OREM, Utah (Diya TV) — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump and founder of the youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Wednesday during a campus event at Utah Valley University in what Utah Governor Spencer Cox described as a “political assassination.” He was 31.

The shooting occurred about 20 minutes into Kirk’s appearance under a white tent in the Sorensen Center courtyard, where he was taking audience questions as part of his “American Comeback Tour.” Witnesses and video footage show Kirk struck in the neck as he responded to a question about gun violence. Students and attendees screamed and scattered as blood gushed from his wound.

“This is a dark day for our state,” Cox said at an evening briefing, adding that a “person of interest” was in custody but that no charges had been filed. Authorities said the gunfire came from the roof of the nearby Losee Center, roughly 200 yards from the stage.

Widespread social media videos captured the moment: a questioner asked Kirk about transgender Americans and mass shootings, to which he replied, “Too many.” Seconds later, another follow-up question on overall mass shootings prompted Kirk’s last words — “Counting or not counting gang violence?” — before the shot rang out.

Orem Mayor David Young told reporters that an individual initially detained was not the shooter. Armed officers evacuated the campus and canvassed nearby neighborhoods, showing residents a photograph of a possible suspect. Utah Valley University canceled classes and remained closed under lockdown orders.

The violence shocked a state better known for its safety. “Utah is one of the safest places on the planet … we just don’t have these types of things,” former congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was in the audience, told Fox News. He described hearing “a close shot” and said Kirk’s private security detail and police presence were limited.

Kirk’s death drew bipartisan condemnation and tributes across the political spectrum. Trump, posting on Truth Social, called him “Great, and even Legendary,” adding: “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.” The former president later ordered flags flown at half-staff.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who once hosted Kirk on his podcast, called the attack “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible” in a statement on X. Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who survived a 2011 mass shooting, wrote, “The murder of Charlie Kirk breaks my heart. My deepest sympathies are with his wife, two young children, and friends.”

Turning Point USA, the group Kirk co-founded in 2012, confirmed his death. Known for its sharp-edged advocacy on college campuses, the organization had faced backlash ahead of Wednesday’s event. An online petition urging Utah Valley University to cancel Kirk’s appearance cited his “divisive rhetoric” and gathered nearly 1,000 signatures. University officials defended the decision, pointing to First Amendment protections.

The incident adds to mounting concerns over political violence nationwide. Recent attacks have included the killing of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, an arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home, and last year’s attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Students at Utah Valley University described scenes of terror. “We hear a shot and then there’s a wave of blood come out of his chest, and we all get down,” student Ethan, who declined to give his last name, told local reporters. “I had a couple of people trample me actually, so it was pretty horrific.” Another student, Angeline Paul, recalled, “It just sound[ed] like an earthquake, and everyone starts screaming … kids start running into our classroom … falling on the ground, and they’re like, ‘There’s a shooter!’”

As investigators worked into the night, officials urged anyone with information to come forward. “We are actively looking for anyone and everyone who has any information related to the shooting,” Cox said.

Hindu organizations were among those expressing their shock and grief:

  • CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) issued a statement saying:

“We are shocked and horrified at the murder of Charlie Kirk today. We live in a country where the First Amendment protects each individual’s right to free speech… There is NO room for such hate and violence and it must be condemned at all levels. We offer our prayers and our sincere condolences to his family and friends.”

  • HAF (Hindu American Foundation) stated:

“We are horrified and outraged by the assassination of Charlie Kirk… Political violence must be eradicated from society and speech we like or do not like should be met with more speech, never bullets. Om Shanti.”

  • HinduACTion added:

“Disagreements exist in all democratic societies, but violence is never a solution. We pray for #CharlieKirk and all those affected.”

Charlie Kirk rose to fame in his early twenties by launching Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit focused on mobilizing youth around free markets, limited government, and pro-America values. He quickly became a frequent presence on right-wing media and a vocal supporter of Donald Trump.

In recent years, Kirk also became a sharp critic of immigration policies and Indian-American political activism. He notably stated:

“America does not need more visas for people from India. Perhaps no form of legal immigration has so displaced American workers as those from India. Enough already. We’re full.”

He also questioned the influence of Indian-origin commentators and organizations on U.S. foreign policy:

“You have to wonder if this coordinated activity promoting the interests of India should trigger FARA registrations. Many accounts are obviously being paid to peddle this trash from the Indian government.”

These statements drew criticism from Hindu and Indian-American communities, many of whom had previously aligned with Kirk’s free speech advocacy, but distanced themselves from what they called “nativist rhetoric.”

The killing has sparked renewed national conversations on political extremism, gun violence, and the limits of discourse in a polarized America. Kirk’s death comes amid rising threats to public figures, mass shootings, and fears that the American political climate is growing increasingly unstable.

Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika and two young children.