Turning Point USA's Charlie Kirk with Donald Trump speaking with attendees at a MAGA rally in Phoenix, Arizona on June 6, 2024 (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)
Conservative commentator and activist Charlie Kirk passed away Wednesday following a shooting at Utah Valley University. The incident occurred during his “American Comeback Tour,” where he was participating in a Questions and Answers session under a tent on campus.
Deseret News politics reporter Brigham Tomco initially reported Kirk's death, citing Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz (R).
President Donald Trump mourned Kirk in a post to his Truth Social platform.
"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."
In video footage circulating online, Kirk is seen sitting cross-legged on a table and speaking on a microphone. A gunshot then rings out, and Kirk is seen collapsing while clutching his neck. Campus police confirmed the shooting shortly after.
READ MORE: MAGA activist Charlie Kirk shot during speech on Utah campus
Born in 1993 in the Chicago suburbs, Kirk was a vocal supporter of Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. He emerged as a pivotal figure in conservative youth activism, having founded Turning Point USA in 2012 while still in his teens.
Kirk quickly grew his platform into a nationwide force among conservatives through aggressive campus campaigns and live events.
Kirk was known for launching initiatives like the "Professor Watchlist" and expanding his reach via Turning Point Action and Turning Point Faith, mobilizing millions around conservative ideals.
He was also the host of "The Charlie Kirk Show," a widely syndicated talk show, and the author of several best-selling books like Campus Battlefield and The MAGA Doctrine.
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Kirk’s fast rise into political prominence earned him a reputation as one of the earliest and most vocal supporters of the Trump movement among youth. His campus presence and digital media engagement helped define a generation of conservative activism.
The deceased's confrontational style, particularly in opposing teachings on racism and critical race theory, drew large crowds among Gen Z conservatives but stirred criticism for inflaming racial tensions.
He notably challenged widely revered figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., calling MLK “awful” and dubbing the Civil Rights Act a "huge mistake." Such remarks sparked backlash from civil rights groups and media outlets.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and two young children.