‘Rapid developments’ in manhunt for Charlie Kirk assassin after photos of ‘person of interest’ were released: Live updates

Less than an hour ahead of a planned news conference, the Utah Department of Public Safety called off the 2:45 p.m. ET (12:45 p.m. MT) event, citing ‘rapid developments in our investigation.’

Authorities said they would release an updated time later Thursday.

A search for the suspect in Kirk’s killing was ongoing and authorities have released images of a person of interest, as well as offered a reward for information and solicited help from the public.

The FBI has released an image of a person of interest in their investigation of Charlie Kirk’s murder.

The photos show a person wearing a hat, sunglasses and a long sleeve black shirt.

‘We are asking for the public’s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley,’ the FBI office in Salt Lake City said on Thursday.

They asked anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI.

A manhunt is underway for a college-age gunman today after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead as he gave a speech at Utah Valley University.

The 31-year-old was killed at a debate hosted by Turning Point USA, the youth organization he co-founded in 2012, in what has been described as a ‘political assassination’.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon when authorities said the shooter fired from a roof
• Videos posted to social media show Kirk, seen speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent, reach up with his right hand after the single shot rings out
• He was rushed to a hospital by his private security team and was later declared dead.
• Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death in a social media post and has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff
• President Trump, who was shot at a campaign event last year, said he and Kirk had a close relationship
• Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared the fatal shooting a ‘political assassination’ and warned the perpetrator they could face the death penalty
• A ‘person of interest’ was taken into police custody but has since been released, FBI Director Kash Patel has said
• FBI special agent in charge Robert Bohls said a ‘high-powered bolt action rifle’ was recovered in a wooded area after the murder

A somber mood filled the Utah Valley University on Thursday as the university reeled from the horrific fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk the day prior.

Mourners were seen laying flowers and praying near to where Kirk was killed by a single gunshot as he spoke with students at a Turning Point USA event.

Donald Trump Jr said he was the one who broke the news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination to his father.

The president’s son told CNN commentator Scott Jennings on his radio show that he heard of Kirk’s shooting ‘right before my father called me back on something.’

‘I’d found out that he had passed, and I think I was the one that broke the news to him, and it was a rough day,’ Trump Jr said.

Trump Jr was said to have been particularly close to Kirk and said he spoke to him ‘practically every day’, as insiders told The Atlantic that he was ‘shattered’ by Kirk’s death.

TikTok says it will remove videos that show clear images of Charlie Kirk’s assassination from its platform after gruesome clips swept social media.

In a statement from TikTok spokesperson Jamie Favazza, he said that ‘these horrific violent acts have no place in our society.

‘We remain committed to proactively enforcing our Community Guidelines and have implemented additional safeguards to prevent people from unexpectedly viewing footage that violates our rules.’

TikTok’s rules only prevent ‘gory, gruesome, disturbing, or extremely violent content’, and footage taken from a distance showing Kirk’s killing may be allowed.

The incoming president of the Oxford Union has been accused of celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

George Abaraonye allegedly shared comments making light of Kirk’s death shortly after he was struck in the neck by a single bullet while speaking about mass shootings at a university campus in Utah.

The Telegraph claims to have seen messages supposedly sent by Abaraonye, which have also been shared on social media.

One, said to have been sent on Whatsapp, reads: ‘Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f***ing go’. Another message, which the Telegraph claims was posted by Abaraonye on Instagram, says: ‘Charlie Kirk got shot loool’.

The Oxford student’s Instagram account has been made private, preventing anyone from viewing his posts on the platform. It is also unclear whether the Whatsapp account that appeared to share the messages belongs to Abaraonye.

Abaraonye was elected for the presidency in June and previously came head-to-head with the American conservative activist during an event at the University in May.

The pair debated about the concept of ‘toxic masculinity’, during which they disagreed about the impact it posed on younger generations of men and women.

The assassin who killed Charlie Kirk in broad daylight on the Utah Valley University campus on Wednesday is still on the run over 24 hours since the shooting stunned the nation.

Officials with the Utah Department of Safety told Fox News that they are still urgently searching for the gunman, who shot Kirk from a rooftop around 200 yards away from where he was hosting an event.

The shooter is believede to have fired a precise shot into Kirk’s neck from the perch before jumping from the roof and escaping into a nearby neighborhood.

Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA said the commentator received ‘thousands of threats’ from the public in the time before he was assassinated on Wednesday in Utah.

In a solemn statement sent from Kirk’s X account on Thursday, the organization said he ‘believed in the power of argument and good-faith debate to find the truth and guide people towards, if not agreement, then at least mutual understanding.

‘Charlie was no stranger to threats,’ the statement continued. ‘He received thousands throughout his life.

‘But he always prioritized reaching as many young Americans as possible over his own personal safety.

‘Now, Charlie has become America’s greatest martyr to the freedom of speech he so adored.’

President Trump’s security team began tightening its security immediately after learning that Charlie Kirk was shot on Wednesday, reports say.

Trump traveled to the Pentagon on Thursday for an event commemorating the anniversary of 9/11, with the location of the ceremony moved to a more secure location so Trump could deliver a speech, officials told the Wall Street Journal.

Further security measures will be in place as Trump attends a baseball game at Yankee stadium in New York on Thursday night.

A Secret Service official said: ‘Individuals in and around Yankees stadium tonight can expect to see increased law enforcement presence.’

The White House insider added to the Journal that Trump’s team is looking into increasing the president’s security in measures in the near future.

Savannah Chrisley said she was supposed to join Charlie Kirk on his college campus speaking tour in October.

The 28-year-old reality TV personality shared an emotional TikTok video late Wednesday night as she mourned her late friend.

Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna ripped into cable news channel CNN for their portrayal of her remarks on the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk

Posting on X, Luna tore into the cable news outlet for airing an ‘edited clip’ of her response to her Democratic colleagues after they booed a motion from fellow conservative Lauren Boebert to hold a prayer for Kirk’s family while his condition was unknown. The CNN clip did not include  Boebert’s prayer request, or the Democrats’ rambunctious response that preceded Luna’s remark.

Luna continued in her X post that ‘when asked simply to pray for a grieving family, they booed. That behavior is disgusting. This edited clip is yet another example of how far CNN will go, and how low they’ll sink, for ratings.’

But a massive brawl broke out at the event after a man riding past on a e-bike yelled out the expletive.

The This Is Us actress, 41, who has long been outspoken in her advocacy for gun reform, used her Instagram Stories to condemn the killing and urge Americans to confront the dangers of political violence.

‘There is no room for political violence in this discourse. Ever,’ Moore wrote, reposting a message from Moms Demand Action. ‘You can disagree with someone’s beliefs but this is a terrifying consequence of the world we’re living in and it’s a cancer.’

Trump is scheduled to attend the Yankees game with the visiting Detroit Tigers to commemorate the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Hours before the scheduled first pitch at 7:05pm local time, Trump’s secret service confirmed the increased security plans for Yankee Stadium.

Dave Portnoy has fumed over the ‘insane’ rhetoric of America’s left wing following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, while claiming the divisiveness of Donald Trump played a part in his death.

And as well as branding the rhetoric of the left ‘insane’, the Barstool founder and president explained why he believes Trump’s polarizing nature contributed to Kirk’s death.

A bomb threat at the DNC headquarters was determined to be not credible, according to a statement from a DNC spokesperson.

U.S. Capitol Police said after being alerted to the threat, they did not find anything outside of the building. Out of an abundance of caution, they were checking the interior of the building.

‘As DNC Chair Ken Martin has said, political violence in every form has no place in our country,’ the DNC statement said.

Posthumously posting under Kirk’s X handle, the organization he founded, Turning Point USA, remembered Kirk on Thursday as ‘a leader, a mentor, and a friend.’

The post’s authors also noted that Kirk was ‘no stranger to threats,’ receiving ‘thousands of them throughout his life.’

Alongside the post appeared a black and white image of Kirk walking onstage at a Turning Point event, with the lights and pyrotechnics that have become the organization’s trademark.

‘Charlie loved America, its people, its Constitution, its freedom, and the limitless goof all of them have done for the world. But above all, Charlie lived every day with an overflowing love of the Christ he knew he would one day get to see. When asked, Charlie said that above all he wished to be remembered for his faith. Far more than any political victory, Charlie wanted to see a spiritual revival among America’s youth.

‘Although Charlie is gone, his legace will endure,’ the message posted to Kirk’s account said, in part.

‘The murder of my friend Charlie Kirk was a very dark day for American democracy. And a dark day too for the cause of free speech in the US and the West, which has lost one of its most tenacious champions,’ wrote Farage.

Although the gunman remains at large, the shooting has all the hallmarks of a political assassination. Charlie was killed to shut him up: cancel culture, at gunpoint. As President Donald Trump said, he died ‘a martyr of truth and freedom.’

Read the full story below:

A reporter for a popular Florida political news outlet has been suspended after asking a local congressman if he still supported carrying guns on college campuses after Charlie Kirk suffered a fatal gunshot wound during an event at a Utah college.

Florida Politics reporter AG Gancarski texted Rep. Randy Fine the question as news of the shooting unfolded.

‘Good afternoon – was wondering if Charlie Kirk getting shot affects your position on campus carry? If gun control had been in play could the tragedy have been avoided?’ the reported wrote, according to a screenshot Fine posted on X.

Police are swarming to the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters in Washington DC following an ‘incident.’

This is a developing story.

Americans are calling on Microsoft to fire an employee who celebrated the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Benjamin Van der Zar commented on a post saying: ‘Professional hit from a few hundred yards, good job soldier.’

Van der Zar shared the post after news broke about the distance the sniper was from Kirk during the event. His profile indicates he works at Oracle in Ireland and is originally from Romania.

Sources told the Associated Press that Kirk’s casket will be flown to his home state of Arizona on the Vice President’s airplane, Air Force Two, on Thursday.

VP JD Vance cancelled his appearances for the 9/11 anniversary in order to fly to Utah.

TMZ has been forced to apologize after staffers burst into laughter the moment Charlie Kirk’s death was announced during an unflattering livestream.

The entertainment news outlet found itself in hot water while reporting on the gory death of the MAGA firebrand on Wednesday.

While Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere were discussing the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder’s assassination, laughter erupted in the background.

Levin remained stoic as he broke the harrowing news to the live audience, but viewers were sickened by what they heard.

The FBI says it’s offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of whoever is responsible for Kirk’s death.

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Officials also published the link for a form where people can upload videos and photos.

The FBI’s appeal for information relating to Charlie’s Kirk’s shooting initially appeared to send the public to a broken link on X.

Kirk was sitting under the tent speaking when he was shot dead by someone standing on the roof of a nearby university building.

The shooter is believed to have fired from 200 yards away from where Kirk was sitting.

The President said he plans to speak with Kirk’s family on Thursday afternoon.

Trump made those remarks in a brief conversation with reporters as he left the Pentagon.

Vice President JD Vance is traveling to Utah Thursday to meet with Kirk’s family in person.

Social media star Kyle Forgeard alleged that he was turned away from The Twenty Two in Manhattan by a doorman who supposedly took issue with his public message of condolence to Kirk.

The person of interest wanted by the FBI appeared to be wearing a black t-shirt that showed a bald eagle flying across an American flag.

The shirt read: ‘Land of the Free…. Home of the Brave.’

The Daily Mail found the shirt is sold for as little as $6.75 on eBay.

Law enforcement recovered a Mauser .30 caliber bolt-action rifle hidden in a towel in a wooded area near the university campus along what they suspect to be the shooter’s path as they fled the scene, according to information circulated among law enforcement and shared with The Associated Press.

In addition to the spent cartridge recovered in the chamber, three other rounds were loaded in the magazine. The weapon and ammunition are now being forensically analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab for clues that could help identify the shooter or their motive.

Rowdy scenes erupted after the European Parliament refused a request for a minute of silence to honour slain US activist and Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk.

Lawmakers on the European far right, which maintains close ties to Trump’s White House, wanted the EU parliament, like the US Congress, to observe a silent tribute to the 31-year-old.

Video footage from Strasbourg, France, showed right-wing politicians shushing those speaking over the silence, before banging their desks and shouting ‘shut up’ and ‘be quiet’.

‘Our right to freedom of speech cannot be extinguished,’ Charlie Weimers of the Sweden Democrats wrote to Speaker Roberta Metsola in requesting the gesture.

But when Weimers tried to observe the tribute by yielding his speaking time on the floor, he was cut short by the session chair, who reminded him the request had been denied for procedural reasons.

Weimers accused the European Parliament of ‘bias’.

He pointed to the contrast with the tribute observed in 2020 for George Floyd, whose murder by a US police officer triggered global protests.

Italy’s hard-right Northern League likewise attacked parliament’s decision as ‘politically shameful and morally unacceptable’.

The sniper who assassinated Charlie Kirk is believed to have jumped off a roof and fled into a neighborhood after firing one shot and has not yet been identified, authorities said Thursday in disclosing that they recovered a high-powered rifle from the scene.

The shooter appeared to be of ‘college age’ and is believed to have blended in on the university campus where Kirk was shot, police said as they continued to investigate the latest act of political violence to befall America.

Law enforcement officials, including members of an FBI forensics team, investigate a wooded area near the crime scene where political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 11.

The SpaceX founder slammed Democratic party and leftist users online, castigating them for ‘celebrating cold-blooded murder’ in the wake of Kirk’s death.

‘The left is the party of murder,’ Musk wrote on X soon after news broke about the shooting.

The billionaire X owner initially expressed his hopes that ‘Charlie makes it somehow’, and he turned to fury after Kirk’s death was confirmed.

Throughout the ordeal, liberal users on social network BlueSky began celebrating the assassination of Kirk.

‘They are celebrating cold-blooded murder,’ Musk wrote in a reply to a user. ‘Shows what we’re dealing with. Evil people.’

DC Comics has cancelled a brand new comic book series after its writer made insensitive comments about Charlie Kirk’s death.

Red Hood, which was slated as an ongoing monthly series, was pulled on Wednesday just hours after its first issue was released.

The dramatic move came after its writer, Gretchen Felker-Martin, appeared to celebrate the death of the conservative commentator and father-of-two.

Taking to Bluesky, Felker-Martin reposted a news article about Kirk’s assassination.

Alongside it, she wrote: ‘Thoughts and prayers you Nazi b****.

‘Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie.’

DC then said they would pull Red Hood from retailers, adding that they will offer refunds on copies of the comic that have already been sold.

CNN has sparked anger among Americans for avoiding reference to the transgender messages’ found on bullets inside the rifle used by Charlie Kirk’s assassin.

The left-wing outlet instead referred to the engravings as ‘a range of phrases related to cultural issues’ to avoid confronting what was really inscribed.

The Wall Street Journal first revealed the messages, based on a notice sent to the Bureau, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents.

Though the exact words on the bullets were not given, the WSJ explicitly described them as being ‘engraved with transgender and antifascist ideology’.

People on social media have blasted CNN’s reporting as ‘shameless’ and ‘dangerous’ while accusing them of ‘gaslighting’ the public.

The Carolina Panthers have reportedly fired a high-ranking employee over insensitive posts he made about Charlie Kirk’s murder.

According to the Charlotte Observer’s Scott Fowler, Charlie Rock – who worked as Carolina’s Football Communications Coordinator – has been dismissed by the team over the posts in question.

Images circulating on social media appear to show that Rock shared a video of Kirk claiming that ‘it’s worth it to have a cost of unfortunately some gun deaths every single year’ in order to protect Second Amendment rights and wrote himself: ‘Why are yall sad? Your man said it was worth it…’

Another screenshot also shows his Instagram account posting the song ‘Protect Ya Neck’ by the Wu-Tang Clan on his story after Kirk was fatally shot in the neck on Wednesday.

The Panthers said in a statement on Thursday: ‘The views expressed by our employees are their own and do not represent those of the Carolina Panthers. We do not condone violence of any kind.

‘We are taking this matter very seriously and have accordingly addressed it with the individual.’

Halperin, who spoke with Kirk on the phone a few months ago, has remembered him as a ‘political genius who didn’t hate anyone’.

‘He was a man of math and science, but also of poetry and spirit,’ Halperin wrote.

‘He wore many titles and humbly managed to make each sound plain: political strategist, public speaker, video podcaster, fundraiser, organizer, lobbyist, builder.

‘When I asked him his profession a few months ago, he said he preferred the unadorned word — ‘entrepreneur’ — as if he were describing a shop on Main Street that just happened to scale across a nation and around the world.

‘That was part of the charm: the grand project presented with a straight face and hard-working hands, big undertakings explained in the tone you use to order coffee.

‘What mattered most, in the end, was his spirit. He was not a hater — quite the opposite. I have met no one shrewder in politics at any age, and no one better liked in the movement he helped shape.’

The bullet used to kill conservative activist Charlie Kirk was engraved with transgender and anti-fascist ideology, according to a law bulletin.

The notice sent to ATF agents, reported by The Wall Street Journal, said that bullets found inside the rifle, a .30 caliber hunting rifle, also contained messaging on them.

Sources told the outlet that the weapon was wrapped up in a towel, with a spent cartridge in the chamber.

Another three unspent rounds were discovered in the magazine, all of which contained wording on them.

Read Maureen Callahan’s blistering rebuke on political violence in America.

Jimmy Kimmel has addressed the killing of Charlie Kirk in an Instagram post urging fans to avoid ‘angry finger-pointing’ and to condemn the ‘senseless gun violence’.

The 57-year-old ABC host took to social media hours after right-wing activist Kirk was fatally shot during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

‘Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?’ the Jimmy Kimmel Live host wrote.

‘On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.’

Tributes from across the world – including from a number of NFL stars – have flooded in and now McAfee has written his own statement in honor of Kirk.

Taking to X late on Wednesday night, he wrote: ‘Charlie Kirk, a name synonymous with having the courage to speak what you believe and seek/welcome conversations with those whom you disagree with.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk after his murder.

‘Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,’ Trump said.

‘We miss him greatly, yet I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on.’

The wife of Charlie Kirk is leaning into her Christian faith after her husband’s assassination, with family members struggling to tell their children of his death, according to one insider.

Jack Posobiec, a contributor to Kirk’s Turning Point USA organization, spoke with NewsNation on Thursday morning about his family and how they are coping.

He told the outlet: ‘Erika is unbelievably strong. At the same time someone’s going to have to explain to his son and daughter why their dad didn’t come home yesterday.’

Within hours of the shooting, videos, photos, and eyewitness accounts began circulating on social media, with users rushing to dissect every frame for clues.

Some of the most extreme posts suggest everything from suspicious private jets to hand signals and even claims that the gunshot was actually an explosion.

Conspiracy theorists have seized on brief clips and images, spinning intricate narratives despite investigators’ warning that no verified evidence supports these claims.

Law enforcement agencies have also urged the public to rely on official updates rather than online posts.

However, it has not stopped a flurry of online debate, as communities scramble to make sense of a shocking attack that has left the conservative activist dead.

President Donald Trump was seen in public for the first time since he announced the tragic death of MAGA commentator Charlie Kirk.

The president appeared stone-faced, holding his wife Melania’s hand, as the couple arrived Thursday morning at the Pentagon for a ceremony to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Kirk, a friend of the Trump family, was assassinated in broad daylight during one of his own events at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

The FBI has recovered the firearm they believe was used in the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the bureau’s Salt Lake City field office, said agents recovered a ‘high-powered bolt action rifle’ from a wooded area.

According to Bohls, the assassin – who has since been described as a male of college age – fled to the wooded area after the shooting.

Beau Mason, Utah’s public safety chief, said that investigators have ‘good video footage’ of the suspect.

They said the gunman managed to blend in with students on the college campus, having just arrived shortly before noon.

After making the fatal shot, authorities say he jumped from the roof of the building, before fleeing the campus into a neighborhood.

Bohls said that the weapon was sent to an FBI lab for further analysis, with officials also finding palm and footwear prints on the scene

The agent added that the FBI has received more than 130 tips since Kirk was gunned down.

Beau Mason, Commisioner of Utah’s Department of Public Safety, spoke to the press on Thursday to provide an update on their probe.

He said investigators had several breakthroughs in the probe overnight, and have images of the suspect that they are not ready to release.

Mason said detectives were able to track the suspect’s movements from the time he arrived at Utah Valley University at at 11.52am local time.

The suspect, who they said appears to be of college age, moved to the roof of a campus building from where he fired the fatal shot.

After the shooting, he was tracked to the other side of the building. He then jumped off the roof and fled the scene, Mason said.

‘We do have good video of this individual. We are not going to release that at this time,’ Mason said. ‘We’re working through some technologies and some ways to identity this individual.

‘If we are unsuccessful, we will reach out to you as the media and we will push that publicly to help us identify them. But we are confident in our abilities right now.’

The FBI is facing questions over an airport that was left open after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, with speculation brewing over a jet that could be linked to his murder.

Despite a large-scale manhunt being launched for his killer, who has yet to be found, authorities failed to close off the airspace surrounding Provo Airport.

Flight tracking data shows the jet left the airport shortly after 2pm and headed south towards the Arizona border before it disappeared from radars.

It then reappeared on radars and returned to Provo roughly one hour after leaving the airport.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive to a ceremony to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Thursday.

Charlie Kirk’s assassin may have sped away on a motorbike, dressed all in black with aviator sunglasses, a black mask and long rifle, chilling police radio recordings suggest.

In the hours after Kirk, 31, was shot dead at Utah Valley University, county law enforcement radioed all officers to be on the lookout for the dark-clad suspect.

The conservative activist was addressing a large crowd on Wednesday when a single shot rang out at around 12.20pm local time. The gunman slipped away amid the chaos of screams and students fleeing campus.

New York City police say the killing in Utah is prompting added security for events in the city marking the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Vice President JD Vance is set to attend tomorrow’s memorial ceremony at the World Trade Center site, while President Donald Trump is scheduled to be at the night game pitting the Yankees against the Tigers.

Security around the 9/11 commemorations in New York is always comprehensive, with street closures, a large police presence and the Sept. 11 memorial plaza in Lower Manhattan closed to the public.

Officials didn’t detail exactly how security would be increased.

CNBC anchor Joe Kernen said President Donald Trump called him and said he was devastated by the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Trump reportedly told Kernen that Kirk was a ‘great guy’ who ‘helped him greatly in the last election.’

‘[Trump] thinks Kirk could have been president someday,’ Kernen said.

The President and the First Lady left the White House before 9am EST and headed to the Pentagon to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Former racing driver Danica Patrick fears America is heading for civil war as she blamed an ‘epidemic of mental illness’ for the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Patrick has become more politically active in recent years and aligned herself with Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, even appearing on the campaign trail last year to help him get back to the White House.

Following Kirk’s death, the former NASCAR driver posted a series of comments and shared other posts to her Instagram story.

Fans have called for the United States to be stripped of its World Cup hosting duties next summer after Charlie Kirk was shot dead on Wednesday.

While the 2026 World Cup will see games staged in Mexico, Canada and the USA, the vast majority of the games will be held in the United States.

Of the 16 host cities, 11 are in the United States, while all of the games from the quarterfinals onward will be in the USA. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

A South Park episode mocking Charlie Kirk and other MAGA firebrands was pulled from cable after the conservative influencer was assassinated at a Utah Valley University rally.

Season 27, episode two of the popular series sparked an instantaneous uproar when it aired in early August.

Stephen Colbert addressed the killing of Charlie Kirk in a last-minute speech appended to the start of Wednesday night’s episode of The Late Show.

The 61-year-old comedian took on a somber tone as he addressed his audience at home from behind his desk after the right-wing activist was fatally shot during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University earlier in the day.

He bemoaned ‘political violence’ and compared Kirk’s shooting to the political violence that roiled the US in the 1960s.

The former Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate issued a statement on X following the death of Kirk.

Vice President JD Vance will visit Salt Lake City, Utah on Thursday to pay respects to Charlie Kirk’s family.

He will no longer travel to New York City to visit Ground Zero for the September 11 service, a source familiar with the change in plans told the Daily Mail.

Second Lady Usha Vance will join her husband for the somber trip out west.

Authorities are seeking a new person of interest in Kirk’s assassination, according to a law enforcement official.

The official spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

The Utah Department of Public Safety has also confirmed no one is currently in custody in the investigation into Kirk’s killing.

Two persons of interest were previously questioned and released.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a lengthy statement mourning Charlie Kirk after his assassination in Utah.

Her statement read, in part: ‘The person who shot Charlie Kirk sought to silence him, using violence to take away his freedom of speech by ending his life and to terrorize those who think like Charlie into silence.

‘This evil act is the very definition of terrorism: an unlawful use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political or “religious” aims.’

Javier Milei, Argentina’s libertarian president, issued a message rebuking what he called a wave of left-wing violence on X following the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

‘My condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk and to all the young people in the world who admired him and listened to him,’ said the Trump ally.

‘A formidable disseminator of the ideas of freedom and staunch defender of the West.

‘He was the victim of an atrocious murder in the midst of a wave of left-wing political violence across the entire region. The left is always, at all times and places, a violent phenomenon full of hatred. The entire world lost an incredible human being.’

Supporters gather outside of Timpanogos Regional Hospital to mourn Charlie Kirk who was fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem

A photo of President Donald Trump is seen at a growing memorial for Charlie Kirk outside Timpanogos Regional Hospital after Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday

Supporters gather outside of Timpanogos Regional Hospital to mourn Charlie Kirk.

A sheriff monitors the scene at Utah Valley University Wednesday.

Dowd, chief strategist for George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign and longtime political analyst, suggested the gunshot could have been fired by one of Kirk’s supporters.

‘[We] don’t know any of the full details of this yet,’ Dowd said.

‘We don’t know if this is a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration or… So we have no idea about this.’

The FBI and law enforcement are still searching for Charlie Kirk’s shooter after two suspects were arrested and then released.

The Turning Point USA founder and father of two was assassinated during a rally at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon.

Eerie footage showed a shadowy figure in a prone position and running on the roof as shots rang out over the screaming crowd.

Just weeks into the fall semester, a crowd gathered around the canopy on a grassy college courtyard.

They were eager to hear what the speaker beneath it had to say. It was a typical university scene, with its promise of the exchange of ideas and debate, except in one way: its size.

This speaker was Charlie Kirk, one of the most influential voices in President Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ movement, and the event on Wednesday at Utah Valley University drew more than 3,000 people.

Backpack-toting students watched from surrounding buildings as Kirk, wearing a white T-shirt that said ‘Freedom,’ tossed red MAGA caps, Frisbee-style, to his fans.

He took his place beneath the canopy, the slogans ‘The American Comeback’ and ‘Prove Me Wrong’ emblazoned across it.

Read below for a detailed look at how the shooting unfolded:

Footage from the scene showed event goers screaming moments after Charlie Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University.

Sophie Anderson, 45, who was standing 100 feet from the stage when the shooting happened, told the Daily Mail that she almost got trampled as she ran off into the food court where she hid in a closet.

’The second it happened, I knew it was a gunshot,’ said Anderson, who was joined at the event by her boss Phil Lyman, a former Utah state representative who was handing out hats on stage with Kirk just five minutes earlier.

’He was shot in the neck and just fell over and he was just a fountain of blood,’ she said. ‘They carried him off. All these kids are just falling apart and bawling.’

Ex-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev attempted to politicise the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk by declaring political assassinations are being carried out by supporters of Ukraine.

In a post written in English on X, Medvedev, who is known for drafting highly provocative statements online, said crimes were being perpetrated by ‘left-wing liberal scum’.

Furious viewers have condemned the BBC for its ‘distasteful’ coverage of the assassination of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk – while liberals have been accused of ‘celebrating’ the influencer’s death.

The broadcaster came under fire during its rolling coverage of the killing after inviting Democratic strategist Joi Chaney onto the panel, who stunned audiences when she said the right-wing commentator ‘wasn’t admired and loved by all’.

Mr Kirk, a married father-of-two, was struck in the neck by a single bullet while speaking about mass shootings at a university campus in Utah yesterday, with US President Donald Trump hailing him as ‘legendary’ in a tribute.

But when asked for her reaction, Ms Chaney appeared to laugh and mockingly remarked: ‘I’ve never shared a Trump post in my life. I will contemplate sharing this one. But what I will say with a caveat. He wasn’t admired and loved by all, so that’s an exaggeration.’

The presenter and another panellist were left visibly shocked, with an audible gasp heard before Ms Chaney was allowed to continue.

US President Donald Trump said Charlie Kirk’s death marked a ‘dark moment for America’ as he led the nation’s tributes to the conservative activist.

And his predecessors also released their own statements to condemn the latest episode of political violence in the country.

Let’s take a look at what they said:

There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.

We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.

Today, a young man was murdered in cold blood while expressing his political views. It happened on a college campus, where the open exchange of opposing ideas should be sacrosanct. Violence and vitriol must be purged from the public square. Members of other political parties are not our enemies; they are our fellow citizens. May God bless Charlie Kirk and his family, and may God guide America toward civility.

I’m saddened and angered by Charlie Kirk’s murder. And I hope we all go through some serious introspection and redouble our efforts to engage in debate passionately, yet peacefully. Hillary and I are keeping Erika, their two young children, and their family in our prayers.

Charlie Kirk was shot dead while speaking at Utah Valley University in an event billed as the start of his ‘American Comeback’ tour of college campuses.

Moments before the fatal shot was fired, a figure in dark clothing is seen motionless on the roof of the Losee Center – roughly 150 to 200 yards from Mr Kirk, just before he was hit.

Utah authorities say the shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building before slipping away in the ensuing chaos.

Charlie Kirk eerily spoke about gun violence seconds before he was shot dead at a Utah Valley University rally.

The conservative activist, 31, was shot dead while taking questions from the crowd at the Orem college on Wednesday afternoon.

A member of the spirited audience stepped up to the microphone to debate Kirk, who was sitting under a tent, on the matter of mass shootings.

‘Do you know many transgender Americans have been shooters over the last 10 years?’ the challenging audience member asked.

In response, the political influencer asserted, ‘too many,’ as the crowd roared.

The same person told Kirk the number is five, following up to ask if Kirk knew ‘how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years.’

‘Counting or not counting gang violence?’ Kirk asked. These would be his last words.

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was at the rally, told Fox News that Charlie Kirk was shot during a question-and-answer session with the crowd.

Visibly shaken, he told the network:

First question was about religion. He went on for about 15-20 minutes. Second question, interestingly, was about transgender shooters, mass shooters, and in the midst of that, the shot rang out.

As soon as that shot went out, he fell back. Everybody hit the deck… a lot of people started screaming, and then everybody started running.

Police vehicles surround buildings at Utah Valley University

Utah state police said two men had been detained, one of whom was interrogated, before they were both released.

In a statement, police said: ‘There are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals.”There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter.’

One of the two detainees, an older man seen in photos that circulated online shortly after the killing, was familiar to locals as a political ‘gadfly,’ according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Officials said he had been charged with obstruction by university police.

The other man had been initially described by the governor as a ‘person of interest’ in the investigation.

Police said late on Wednesday that investigators were seeking clues at ‘multiple active crime scenes,’ pinpointed on the basis of where Kirk was shot and ‘locations where the suspect the victim traveled.’

A Republican politician has told how he joined Charlie Kirk on stage at Utah Valley University shortly before the shooting.

Phil Lyman, a former member of the Utah House of Representatives, was handing out baseball caps with Kirk at the Turning Point USA debate and appeared on stage with him, but left before the shooting.

He told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:

I was on the stage with him when he started talking. I left – I went to find some other people, so I wasn’t next to him when he was shot. I don’t know if I am happy about that or if I wish I could have been there.

Describing the shooting, Lyman said; ‘3,000 kids basically watched someone shot right in front of them – it was really traumatic.’

A Utah student has told how he was filming Charlie Kirk moments before he heard the shot that killed him during a speaking event on campus

Porter Lafeber described how chaotic scenes broke out at Utah Valley University when Kirk was gunned down in front of a large crowd which included his wife Erika and two young children

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lafeber said:

I was filming him, I cut my video and then I just heard this shot. Initially you don’t really realise what’s happening until it’s happened. Charlie falls off his stool, everyone starts panicking, running in different directions.

Lafeber said he hid for around a minute before he made his way to the closet building as others hid in corners amid fears of a mass shooting.

It was just uncertain. You don’t know whether outside is safe or inside is safe – if there’s a shooter looking for more victims. There’s people hiding in every corner, every elevator shaft – it’s a really terrifying moment.

Police are today hunting for a sniper in black seen scrambling off a rooftop shortly after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck in front of his family.

Footage of the political assassination at Utah Valley University shows a figure lying flat on top of a building directly across from where the 31-year-old conservative activist fell.

The conservative commentator, a married father-of-two, was struck in the neck by a single bullet while addressing the crowd of 3,000 people about mass shootings yesterday afternoon.

Moments before the shot, a figure in dark clothing is seen motionless on the roof of the Losee Center – roughly 200 yards from Mr Kirk, just before he was hit.

As the camera pans across the crowd the assassin is seen standing up and running across the rooftop and away, presumably joining the crowds of panicked people who fled the square.

Several A-list celebrities have reacted to the tragic shooting of political conservative activist Charlie Kirk

Jurassic World star Chris Pratt was just one of the Hollywood stars who took to social media to offer thoughts on the attack.

The actor shared on X: ‘Praying for Charlie Kirk right now, for his wife and young children, for our country. We need God’s grace. God help us.’

Pratt’s wife Katherine Schwarzenegger also responded to the shooting by reposting a tweet from her mother Maria Shriver.

The post read: ‘This is a violent act of hate that we all must denounce, all of us, regardless of party. This is reprehensible, horrendous violence that affects each and every one of us.’

This Is Us star Mandy Moore also took to her Instagram stories to share a message posted by Momsdemandaction.org which read: ‘Gun violence doesn’t care about ideology.’

Political leaders across the globe warned of the dangers of politically-motivated violence after the fatal shooting of Conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

• US President Donald Trump

This is a dark moment for America. My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity, and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it.

• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney

I am appalled by the murder of Charlie Kirk. There is no justification for political violence and every act of it threatens democracy.

• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer

We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear – there can be no justification for political violence.

• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

An atrocious murder, a deep wound for democracy and for those who believe in freedom. My condolences to his family, to his loved ones, and to the American conservative community.

• Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place.

Here is some footage of Charlie Kirk’s supporters grieving in Utah and Arizona following the 31-year-old’s death yesterday.

Mourners in Seattle have attended a vigil for Charlie Kirk hours after he was shot dead while giving a speech at Utah Vlley University.

Men and women were captured holding candles and praying while some draped themselves in the American flag.

In the week before his fatal shooting, Charlie Kirk cheered the boom of conservative young men in South Korea and warned about a ‘globalist menace’ in Tokyo on his first speaking tour of Asia.

Kirk, 31, who helped amplify Republican President Donald Trump’s agenda to young voters with often inflammatory rhetoric focused on issues such as gender and immigration, was shot in the neck on Wednesday at a speaking event at a Utah university.

In Seoul on Friday, he spoke about how he ‘brought Trump to victory’, while addressing Build Up Korea 2025, a conservative conference that has previously featured speakers including Donald Trump Jr.

Kirk told the audience, who waved their phones and chanted ‘USA’ as he entered the stage to an elaborate pyrotechnic display.

‘It is not unique to the U.S., which is why it deserves more attention. That is why I chose South Korea as my first Asian destination.’

The clip was taken on the set of Fox & Friends Weekend, where Kirk was appearing as a guest host for the first time after years of spots on the conservative leaning network.

The activist and influencer and his wife Erika spent much of his kids’ lives protecting their names and faces from the press.

Vice President JD Vance posted a lengthy tribute to Charlie Kirk Wednesday night, recounting how the late conservative influencer helped him get started in politics.

He shared how Kirk checked in on his family as he ran for vice president.

‘Charlie Kirk was a true friend. The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him,’ Vance wrote.

Read the full tribute in his X post below:

Charlie Kirk once told a podcaster he would like to be remembered for his faith.

‘I wanna be remembered for courage for my faith,’ the conservative influencer said.

‘That that would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life.’

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt thanked Charlie Kirk for believing in her in a heartwarming tribute.

‘When I ran for Congress at 23 years old, Charlie Kirk was one of the first people to believe in me and endorse my grassroots campaign,’ she wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two of them.

‘That’s because Charlie Kirk believed in the potential and promise of young people across our country, and he inspired millions of them to get involved in politics and fight for our nation’s conservative values.’

‘Charlie positively changed the course of American history, and his legacy will live on,’ she asserted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added his voice to the chorus of elected officials expressing thier grief over Charlie Kirk’s death.

‘Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom,’ he posted on social media.

‘A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization.’

Netanyahu added that he ‘spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place.

‘We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact. Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk.’

The New York Times has come under fire for saying Charlie Kirk spread ‘outright lies’ in his obituary.

‘He was so vocal in his willingness to spread unsupported claims and outright lies,’ the piece says.

‘He said that the drug Hydroxychloroquine was 100% effective in treating the virus – which it is not.’

The new cover of Time Magazine has declared ‘Enough’ over a photo from the scene of Utah Valley University.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said a ‘deluge’ of his colleagues have called for increased security following Kirk’s fatal shooting.

‘I think many of them are nervous, of course,’ he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. ‘They’re public figures. They’re exposed all the time, everywhere.

‘We have great security measures for members of Congress, but there’s a desire on many people’s parts to have more,’ he added.

Johnson said he is now taking those requests to heart.

‘We have to take serious measures for serious times,’ he said.

First Lady Melania Trump called for ‘compassionate awareness’ as she mourned Charlie Kirk Wednesday night.

‘Charlie’s children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs instead of laughter, and silence where their father’s voice should have echoed,’ she wrote on social media.

‘Charlie Kirk’s life should serve as a symbolic reminder that compassionate awareness elevates family, love, and country.’

Pastor Ron Williams called for ‘love’ as he spoke at a vigil for Kirk at the Utah State Capital.

He described the conservative commentator as a ‘young man that was full of passion, full of love and he loved his country and he loved his family.’

‘Let us fellow Americans realize that what happened today may not be the last time that we need to speak up, we need to stand up, we need to move forward and say no to violence and yes to love and unity and justice,’ he said.

From 18-year-old college dropout, to builder of a $100 million-a-year political action group, to close ally of President Donald Trump and now – at just 31 years old – interrogator of a likely Democratic White House hopeful, the future for Kirk was, indeed, promising.

But on Wednesday, Kirk, was shot and killed while appearing at an event for his organization, Turning Point, on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

One of America’s greatest-ever snipers has revealed how he believes Charlie Kirk’s assassin pulled off the brutal killing.

Sergeant Nicholas Ranstad broke down the shooting in minute detail based on his raft of experience around high-powered weapons and long-distance shots.

Utah Valley University President Astrid Tuminez condemned the on-campus killing of Charlie Kirk, saying the school is a ‘place to share ideas, and to debate openly and respectfully.

‘Any attempt to infringe on those rights has no place here,’ she said in a statement. ‘We do not condone any form of violence at UVU and seek to make our campus a safe place for all.’

She also said that the school community is ‘shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk.

‘We express our sincere condolences to the Kirk family,’ she said. ‘We grieve with our students, faculty and staff who bore witness to this unspeakable tragedy.’

Utah Valley University has issued an ‘all clear’ on campus, six hours after Kirk was fatally shot.

It said there is no ongoing threat to the school, but reminded staff and students that classes will be canceled until Monday as the investigation continues.

In a video posted to his Truth Social page Wednesday night, President Donald Trump remembered his good friend as someone who ‘inspired millions.

‘He fought for liberty, democracy, justice and the American people,’ Trump said of Charlie Kirk. ‘He’s a martyr for truth and freedom and there has never been anyone who was so respeted by youth.

‘Chaqrlie was the best of America and the monster who attacked him was attacking our whole country,’ the president continued.

‘An assassin tried to silence him with a bullet, but he failed because together we will ensure his voice, his message nd his legacy will live on for countless generations to come.’

The president also vowed that his administration ‘will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to every other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it, as well as those who go after our judges, law enforceemnt officials and everyone else hwo brings order to our country.’

President Donald Trump spoke about Charlie Kirk’s assassination in a video he posted to his Truth Social page Wednesday night.

He called the shooting a ‘dark moment for America,’ as he remembered his friend as a ‘patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and a country that he loves so much, the United States of America.

‘It’s long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murdr are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year in the most hateful and despicable way possible,’ Trump said.

‘For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today and it must stop right now.’

The president then brought up his own assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania last year, the murder of a UnitedHealthcare CEO and attacks on ICE agents as he said ‘radical left violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too may lives.’

Police in New York City say the murder of Charlie Kirk has prompted them to add extra security for events marking the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Vice President JD Vance is set to attend tomorrow’s memorial ceremony at the World Trade Center site while President Donald Trump is scheduled to be at the night game pitting the Yankees against the Tigers.

Security around the 9/11 commemorations in New York is always comprehensive, with street closures, a large police presence and the Sept. 11 memorial plaza in Lower Manhattan closed to the public.

The person of interest police have taken into custody following the fatal shooting has been released, FBI Director Kash Patel has said.

He had earlier announced that a suspect was in custody, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said a person of interest was being questioned.

But Patel now says the investigation into the ‘targeted’ shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University is ongoing.

Three high-profile NFL stars have expressed their anger at the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah on Wednesday.

The conservative commentator, 31, died after being shot in the neck while he spoke at an event at Utah Valley University.

Father-of-two Kirk was hit by a single bullet while speaking to a crowd at the public university in Orem. He collapsed immediately after being hit by the gunfire and was rushed to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The New York Yankees held a minute’s silence to honor Charlie Kirk after the political activist’s assassination at Utah on Wednesday.

The conservative commentator, 31, was shot at 12.20pm during a rally at Utah Valley University by a gunman who was caught on camera dashing across a rooftop in the moments after he opened fire.

Yankee Stadium came to a standstill just before their game against the Detroit Lions as players, coaches and fans all paid their respects.

Ring-winged influencer Charlie Kirk eerily spoke about gun violence seconds before he was shot dead at a Utah Valley University rally.

The conservative activist, 31, was assassinated while taking questions from the crowd at the Orem college on Wednesday afternoon.

A member of the crowd stepped up to the microphone to debate Kirk, who was sitting under a tent, on the matter of mass shootings.

George Zinn, 71, who was taken into custody on obstruction of justice charges, has been known in the community for showing up to various events – and occassionally disruptin them, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

He has been arrested multiple times in the past for misdemeanor offenses.

Zinn’s most serious charge came in 2013 when he was arrested for threatening to place a bomb at the end of the Salt Lake City Marathon.

He took a plea deal and received a sentence of probation, along with mental health treatment.

MSNBC was forced to apologize for Matthew Dowd’s remarks as news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination broke.

‘During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable,’ President Rebecca Kutler said in a statement.

‘We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.’

Deranged liberals have mercilessly celebrated the murder of influencer Charlie Kirk –  with some comparing him to Adolf Hitler and even suggesting he ‘deserved’ his fate.

‘I’m not saying Charlie Kirk deserved to be shot, but I think enablers to pedophiles should be shot, too,’ wrote one left-leaning social media user, responding to the news the Turning Point USA founder was shot in the neck at a Utah Valley University event.

Multiple TikTokers reacted casually to the shooting, with one mock crying while a dramatic song played, with the caption: ‘Charlie Kirk got s**t? Awwww.’

Adam Bartholomew, a witness to the shooting, said he saw people celebrating after Kirk was shot.

‘Where I was at, in the group of counterprotesters, there was actually some excitement, some people that were seen to be celebrating,’ he told BBC NewsNight.

‘Saying “fingers crossed” that kind of thing.’

Witnesses at Charlie Kirk’s rally on Wednesday have described the disturbing moment he was fatally shot.

Henry Dels, a 24-year-old businessman from the area, told ABC News that he was standing about 25 feet from Kirk when he was shot.

‘It seemed like a waterfall of blood was gushing out of him, it was gushing out of his neck and running down his shoulder and onto his left pec,’ Dels said.

‘I immediately knew he was going to die.’

Danielle, a student at Brigham Young University who attended the event, also told ABC News’ Salt Lake City affiliate station KTVX that she was close to where Kirk was speaking when he was shot.

‘You just see his neck just, like, open up and there’s just, like, so much blood that just came out. I was 15 feet away, and it was really hard to witness,’ she said.

Danielle then recounted hearing screaming and dpeople running in the aftermath.

‘I’m Iike, it’s not safe to run. It’s not safe to get up,’ Danielle said, adding that she started to pray, ‘Please, God, please God, please God, because I don’t want to die.’

UVU student Luke Pitman, who also witnessed the shooting, told KTVX he was left in ‘total shock.’

‘We all heard a shooting, like a big bang,’ Pitman said. ‘We thought it was confetti. Then, everyone started ducking down. And then, I look over at Charlie Kirk and I see blood coming from his neck.’

The FBI has set up a digital tip line for any information about the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk.

The Utah Department of Public Safety and the FBI are co-leading the criminal investigation.

Kirk, who amassed a huge following for his fiery debates on university campuses, was assassinated in broad daylight mid-speech on Wednesday afternoon.

His assassination not only devastated many members of Congress who knew the activist personally, but unleashed sadness, confusion and anger among lawmakers in the Capitol on both sides of the political spectrum.

The suspect who shot Charlie Kirk as he spoke at Utah Valley University on Wednesday was seen wearing dark clothes.

He was caught on the university’s surveillance cameras, and authorities have now confirmed they have a person of interest in custody.

Officials say they believe only the one suspect was involved, though another man has been taken into custody for obstruction of justice charges.

Police at Utah Valley University had six officers patroling the event featuring Charlie Kirk, which drew about 3,000 guests on Wednesday.

Kirk’s security personnel were also at the scene.

Officers now believe the shooting was specifically targeted at Kirk.

‘You try to get your bases covered, and unfortunately, today, we didn’t,’ University Police Chief Jeff Long lamented. ‘Because of that, we have this tragic incident.’

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox reiterated at a news conference on Wednesday night that the shooting was a political assassination.

‘To whoever did this: We will find you. We will try you and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law,’ the governor warned the shooter, adding that the state still has the death penalty.’

He remembered Kirk as ‘first and foremost, a husband and a dad to two children’ and declared Wednesday was a ‘dark day for our state’ and a ‘tragic day for our nation.’

Officials announced Wednesday night that a man who was taken into custody in the immediate aftermath of the shooting has been booked in jail.

Police confirmed the suspect George Zinn did not match the description of the shooting suspect, but have since booked him in jail for obstruction of justice.

A suspect accused of opening fire at Charlie Kirk as he spoke at Utah Valley University has been taken into custody, FBI Director Kash Patel has confirmed.

‘Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with [the FBI],’ he wrote.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has also confirmed that a ‘person of interest’ is in custody and is being questioned by authorities.

A dinner set for Wednesday night at the newly reopened White House Rose Garden has been canceled as the president continues to mourn the death of his friend.

Donald Trump Jr. shared his love for Kirk in a tribute posted to Instagram on Wednesday.

‘Love you so much brother,’ he wrote, sharing a photo of him with Kirk and Vice President JD Vance.

In another post following news of Kirk’s death, Trump Jr. called the conservative influencer a ‘true inspiration.’

He said Kirk ‘changed the direction of this nation” because “there is no question that Charlie’s work and his voice helped my father win the presidency.’

Trump Jr. added that Kirk was civil and kind, and listened and responded with respect.

‘The only ‘threat’ he ever posed was that he was incredibly effective. He was a powerful messenger of truth, and people heard that truth. That’s what made him a target.’

Police in Utah are gearing up to give a news conference about the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting.

A manhunt remains underway for the suspect, who was apparently seen running away on top of a roof in the moments after he opened fire.

First Daughter Ivanka Trump shared a tribute to the late conservative influencer.

In her Instagram Story, Ivanka shared a photo of Kirk with his family as she wished that he rest in peace.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. compared Kirk to his late father as he expressed his grief on Wednesday.

‘Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era,’ he wrote.

‘My dear friend Charlie Kirk was our country’s relentless and courageous crusader for free speech. We pray for Erika and the children. Charlie is already in paradise with the angels. We ask his prayers for our country.’

Meanwhile,War Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’

Conservative influencer Ben Shapiro shared his own thoughts on the death of Charlie Kirk in a lengthy X post.

He said he is ‘utterly stunned and heartbroken and sick to my soul’ in the aftermath of the fatal shooting, noting that he first met Kirk when he was just 18 years old.

Shapiro said at the time he was a ‘young man so eager and determined that I immediately turned to a friend and said, “That kid is going to be the head of the RNC one day.”’

‘Charlie became even bigger and more important than that,’ Shapiro continued.

‘It was a privilege to watch this principled man stand up for his beliefs and create the single most important conservative political organization in America. But more importantly, Charlie was a good man, a man who believed in right and wrong, who stood by his Biblical values.

‘All of us will miss him, and I can’t imagine the pain of his beautiful young family, and we must all pray for them,’ he continued, arguing that ‘we must pick up the baton where Charlie left it, fighting for the things he believed in so passionately.

‘And we must fight for a better America – an America where good people can speak truth and debate passionately without fear of a bullet.

‘I weep for Charlie’s family, and I weep for my country today. Most of all, I weep for Charlie,’ Shapiro concluded.

Turning Point USA has issued a statement eulogizing its co-founder.

The conservative organization prayed that Kirk ‘be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior, who suffered and died for Charlie.’

‘We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers,’ as it asked the public to respect the family’s privacy.

A high-profile event with conservative firebrand Ben Shapiro at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was abruptly canceled Wednesday after fellow right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a Utah college rally.

Organizers scrapped Shapiro’s book talk in the library in California’s Simi Valley, immediately after reports emerged Kirk, 31, had been gunned down during. The cancellation came before Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death in a Truth Social post.

Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was killed by a single gunshot to the neck while answering audience questions for his ‘American Comeback Tour’.

Video shows first responders rushing to save Charlie Kirk in the moments after he was shot.

They could be seen rushing to get him safely into a vehicle as crowds ran frantically out of the way of the shooting.

Footage from Utah Valley University caught the moments after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot.

In the eerie footage, crowds could be seen ducking out of the way.

But in the distance a shadowy figure could be seen running across the roof of the Lossee Center.

A massive manhunt is now underway at the university, involving the Orem Police, Utah Valley University Police, the FBI and the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stopped a press conference on Wednesday after he heard that Charlie Kirk was shot.

‘What happened today was not just an attack on Charlie personally, but really an attack on the idea that we resolve these things through reason, debate, and elections,’ the Florida governor said.

‘A lot of people in Florida have known Charlie through the years. Casey and I have gotten to know him for over a decade, and he’s somebody that a lot of people have a great regard for.

‘We’re praying for him and his family, but I think we also have to reflect on the fact that the way to resolve political disputes is not through violence, and we see increasing levels of political violence in this country,’ DeSantis continued.

‘Charlie would go to college campuses, and he would articulate views that were very much outside of what most of the professors were offering or what the campus culture was offering, and the way to do that is to ask questions, debate.

‘That’s what the republic is based on,’ DeSantis said.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker seemed to blame the fatal shooting of Trump-ally Charlie Kirk on the president.

Speaking to reporters, Pritzker noted that ‘political violence has been ratcheting up in this country.

‘We saw the shootings and killings in Minnesota, we’ve seen other political violence occur in other states and I would just say it’s gotta stop,’ he said.

‘And I think there are people who are fomenting it in this country. I think the president’s rhetoric often foments it,’ Pritzker continued.

‘We’ve seen the January 6 rioters who clearly have tripped a new era of political violence,’ he tried to explain.

Former President Joe Biden declared on social media Wednesday that ‘There is no place in our country for this kind of violence.’

‘It must end now,’ he posted on social media, adding that ‘Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.’

The FBI and Utah police are desperately searching for Charlie Kirk’s killer after he was fatally shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University.

University officials confirmed that no suspect is in custody after man was seen being dragged away moments after the shooting.

‘There is no suspect in custody, it is an active investigation,’ Ellen Treanor, a university spokesperson, told the New York Times.

Orem Police, Utah Valley University Police, the FBI and the Utah Department of Public Safety are investigating.

Photos showed a heavy police presence at the campus, which has since been shutdown.

President Donald Trump has announced that all American flags will be lowered to half mast through Sunday at 6pm.

He said the order is ‘in honor of Charlie Kirk, a truly Great American Patriot.’

Witnesses say they did not have to clear security to Charlie Kirk’s event at Utah Valley University.

The event was ticketed, but attendee Tyler McGettigan said he was not required to present the ticket to enter the amphitheater.

‘I was expecting when I got here that I’d have to pass through some kind of security, but that just wasn’t a thing,’ McGettigan told NBC News.

He added that there was no checkpoint before entering.

‘It was literally, anyone could walk in if they wanted.’

Charlie Kirk was killed after being shot in the neck at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

The gunman who shot Charlie Kirk is believed to have opened fire from a building about 200 yards away, a Utah Valley University spokesperson said.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox has promised that authorities will find Charlie Kirk’s killer.

‘I just got off the phone with President Trump,’ Cox tweeted. ‘Working with the FBI and Utah law enforcement, we will bring to justice the individual responsible for this tragedy.’

He added: ‘Abby and I are heartbroken. We are praying for Charlie’s wife, daughter, and son.’

Vice President JD Vance shared a Truth Social post from Donald Trump confirming Charlie Kirk’s passing.

‘Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,’ Vance said.

Charlie Kirk, 31, has died after being shot in the neck at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump confirmed his death in a post on Truth Social.

‘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.

He added: ‘Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!’

Kirk was hit by a single bullet while speaking to crowds at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday afternoon.

The father-of-two, known for his fierce MAGA views and thrilling debates with college kids across the country, collapsed immediately after being hit by the gunfire.

He was rushed to hospital, where he tragically succumbed to his injuries.

Donald Trump told New York Post reporter Diana Nerozzi that his ‘good friend’ Charlie Kirk is ‘not doing well.’

‘He’s not doing well,’ the president said. ‘It looks very bad.’

Trump said he is feeling ‘not good.’

‘[Kirk] was a very, very good friend of mine and he was a tremendous person,’ Trump added.

Charlie Kirk shared footage from his Utah event just minutes before reports of the shooting emerged.

A man was dragged away from Utah Valley University by police after the university confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody.

That information was then rolled back, and officials said that the shooter had not been arrested yet.

The 31-year-old talk show host and media personality was shot at the Utah Valley University campus.

Utah Valley University has closed its campus and advised those already there to wait for a police escort.

‘UVU campus is closed. Classes cancelled. Those on campus, secure in place until police officers can escort you safely off campus, the school said on X.

‘We ask for your patience throughout this process. We are providing updates as best as possible. This is an ongoing and unfolding event.’

A suspect was dragged away from Utah Valley University by police after Charlie Kirk was shot.

Witnesses yelled as the suspect, an elderly man who has not been identified, was walked away with his trousers down.

‘How dare you, you f***ing monster!’ one shouted.

The arrest came at the same time that officials said a suspect had been taken into custody, however university spokesperson Scott Trotter later said that the man in the video was not believed to be the shooter.

Chilling photographs show the moment crowds ran off after a shot was fired at Charlie Kirk during his event at Utah Valley University.

Footage posted to social media shows Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone in the Sorensen Center courtyard, sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogan, The American Comeback and Prove Me Wrong.

A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck.

Stunned spectators gasp and scream, and some run away.

Utah Valley University has shutdown campus after Charlie Kirk was shot during an event on Wednesday.

‘Campus closed, classes canceled until further notice. Police are investigating. Leave campus immediately. Follow police instructions,’ the school said on X.

‘Today at about 12.10 a shot was fired at the visiting speaker, Charlie Kirk. He was hit and taken from the location by his security. Campus police is investigating, a suspect is in custody.’

The gunman who shot Charlie Kirk is believed to have opened fire from a building about 200 yards away, a Utah Valley University spokesperson said.

‘We do know there was a shot fired from the top of the Losee Center,’ the university said in a statement.

‘Someone appeared to be at the top of that building or somewhere inside.’

The school has closed campus and canceled classes until further notice.

Students and staff are urged to ‘secure in place until police officers can escort you safely off campus’.

Justin Hickens, who told NBC News he was about 20 yards from the shooting, described witnessing blood splatter out of Charlie Kirk after gunshots rang out.

‘We heard a big loud shot, I saw a bunch of blood come out of Charlie, I saw his body kind of kick back and go limp, and everybody dropped to the ground,’ Hickens said.

‘I kind of turned around and all of a sudden I saw officers walking with this very elderly gentleman with white hair.

‘They had him arrested, they had him on his knees and he was screaming about his rights and all that stuff. They cuffed him and put him away.’

Sophie Anderson, 45, who was standing 100 feet from the stage when the shooting happened, told the Daily Mail that she almost got trampled as she ran off into the food court where she hid in a closet.

‘The second it happened, I knew it was a gunshot,’ said Anderson, who was joined at the event by her boss Phil Lyman, a former Utah state representative who was handing out hats on stage with Kirk just five minutes earlier.

‘He was shot in the neck and just fell over and he was just a fountain of blood,’ she said. ‘They carried him off. All these kids are just falling apart and balling.’

Someone is in custody following the shooting, according to an alert sent to students.

‘A single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker. Police are investigating now, suspect in custody,’ an alert from UVU said, according to the Deseret News.

Police have not revealed the suspect’s identity but footage from the scene showed officers taking an older man into custody.

A dramatic video circulating online shows a grey-haired man being restrained, telling those around him ‘I have the right to remain silent.’

A spokeswoman for Utah Valley University, Ellen Treanor, told the New York Times that Kirk was struck by a suspect who had fired from the Losee Center, a building about 200 yards away.

A source familiar with Charlie Kirk’s condition has offered an update after he was shot in the neck.

‘Doctors are still working on him,’ the insider told Daily Mail.

A law enforcement source told the Associated Press that he is in ‘critical condition’.

Kirk was shot Wednesday afternoon on the first stop of his American Comeback Tour.

A petition signed by 7,000 people ahead of the event called for him to be banned from campus.

Charlie Kirk has lost a lot of blood, but is still alive, his colleagues told the Daily Caller.

The conservative firebrand is currently in the hospital.

Turning Point USA, in a statement to the outlet, wrote: ‘This is an ongoing situation.

We are in the process of confirming reports that Charlie Kirk was shot. He is in the hospital, and we are praying for him at this time.’

Utah Governor Spencer Cox said he has been briefed on the shooting.

‘I am being briefed by law enforcement following the violence directed at Charlie Kirk during his visit to Utah Valley University today,’ he said.

‘We will continue to share updates. Those responsible will be held fully accountable. Violence has no place in our public life.

‘Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act. Our prayers are with Charlie, his family, and all those affected.’

Donald Trump said he is praying for ‘great guy’ Charlie Kirk after he was shot.

‘We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!’ the president said on Truth Social.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has taken to X to offer his thoughts and prayers to Charlie Kirk.

‘We love you Charlie Kirk. Praying for you,’ he tweeted.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed outrage over the shooting of Charlie Kirk.

The Democrat branded the attack as ‘disgusting, vile, and reprehensible’.

‘In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form,’ he added.

FBI director Kash Patel says his agency is ‘closely monitoring’ the shooting at Utah Valley University.

‘Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected,’ he tweeted.

‘Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.’

JD Vance posted on X that he is saying a prayer for Charlie Kirk after he was reportedly shot at an event.

Charlie Kirk is the Founder and Executive Director of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization.

He is a MAGA influencer known for sharing his controversial opinions on social media.

Charlie Kirk has been shot in the neck at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem.

The conservative firebrand, 31, was speaking to students when someone opened fire at the school on Wednesday.

Horrific footage of the incident showed Kirk’s neck violently snapping back after shots rang out.

A person is in custody following the shooting, according to an alert sent to students.

Conservative political commentator Michael Knowles has joined in the call for prayers after shots rang out this afternoon.

Right-wing pundit Candace Owens also reacted to the shooting.

She wrote: ‘Everyone please stop what you are doing and pray for Charlie Kirk. Please.’

US Sen. Mike Lee says he is ‘closely’ monitoring the situation at the university.

He has offered his prayers for Charlie Kirk and all the students attending his event.

Shots have been fired at a Charlie Kirk event at Utah Valley University.

Footage from the scene showed event goers screaming as shots rang out on Wednesday.

Kirk published a post on X just minutes before reports of the shooting emerged.