Assassination of Charlie Kirk

Assassination of Charlie Kirk
The tent in which Kirk was shot dead, Isolated with Police tape
LocationUtah Valley University
Orem, Utah, U.S.
Coordinates40°16′39.1″N 111°42′50.5″W / 40.277528°N 111.714028°W / 40.277528; -111.714028
DateSeptember 10, 2025
12:23 p.m. MDT (UTC−06:00)
TargetCharlie Kirk
Attack type
Assassination by shooting
Weapon.30-06 Mauser M 98 bolt action rifle
Deaths1 (the target)
Participant1
AccusedTyler James Robinson

On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, an American right-wing political activist, was shot dead while onstage at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah, United States. The shooting happened around 12:20 p.m. local time. It happened shortly after the event started, and was confirmed by campus officials.

A 22-year-old American man was charged with Kirk's murder by police.

Assassination

FBI released CCTV footage of a suspect jumping from the rooftop of a building following the shooting.

Security camera footage examined by investigators showed that the gunman arrived at the campus at 11:52 a.m. MDT (Mountain Daylight Time) and went up a stairwell in the Losee Center to the roof. The speaking event began at 12 noon. At 12:23 p.m., Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at an American Comeback Tour event.

The shot was fired from a building roughly 200 yards (180 m) away on the campus. This was the discussion before the shooting:

Hunter Kozak: Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?
Kirk: Too many.
Hunter Kozak: Okay, well—[crowd cheers]—it's five, okay. Now, five is a lot, right? I'll give you some credit. Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?
Kirk: Counting or not counting gang violence?
Hunter Kozak: Great—

Multiple cellphone videos of the shooting were quickly published onto social media. An older male was arrested, but then released after police said he was not the assassin.

After the assassination, Kirk was taken to the hospital under critical condition. Reuters reported he was having surgery. Kirk died shortly afterwards at the age of 31.

The FBI and ATF assisted local authorities in the investigation, and the campus was placed on lockdown.

About 3,067 people went to the event, which was secured by six police officers and Kirk's private security personnel.

Aftermath

President Donald Trump giving a speech from the Oval Office after Kirk's death

Shortly after the assassination, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social: "We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!" Trump later confirmed Kirk's death on Truth Social:

Donald Trump then made a speech stating, "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"

On September 11, Kirk's casket, accompanied by United States vice president JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance, and Kirk's widow Erika Kirk, was transported on Air Force Two from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Phoenix, Arizona. A memorial service took place on in Glendale, Arizona.

Suspect

Robinson during a court hearing in December 2025

On September 12, Trump announced that the suspect, 22 year-old Tyler James Robinson, was in police custody after his father convinced him to turn himself in. On September 16, Robinson was formally charged with Kirk's murder. Prosecutors announced that they would seek the death penalty.

References

  1. ↑ Henderson, Cameron; Stringer, Connor; Crilly, Rob; Sigsworth, Tim (September 10, 2025). "Charlie Kirk shot at university event". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Charlie Kirk shot during event at Utah university". The Guardian. September 10, 2025. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Police confirm shots fired at conservative activist Charlie Kirk's event in Utah". BBC News. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  4. ↑ "What we can learn about Charlie Kirk suspect Tyler Robinson from his charging document". Sky News. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  5. ↑ Gamio, Lazaro; Wu, Ashley; McCann, Allison (September 10, 2025). "Maps, Video and Photos: Where and When Charlie Kirk Was Fatally Shot". The New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  6. ↑ Brulliard, Karin; Hill, Evan; Moriarty, Dylan; Mourtoupalas, Nick; Oakford, Samuel (September 12, 2025). "How Charlie Kirk's fatal shooting unfolded on a Utah college campus". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Live updates: Charlie Kirk shot at Utah Valley University event". CNN. September 10, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. ↑ "Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk shot at Utah Valley University event". Reuters. September 10, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  9. ↑ Levonson, Michael (September 10, 2025). "Live Updates: Charlie Kirk, Right-Wing Activist, Shot in Utah". The New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Charlie Kirk Shot at University Q&A: Live Updates". Intelligencer. September 10, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  11. ↑ "Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk shot at Utah university event". Reuters. September 10, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and Trump ally, dies after shooting at Utah campus event". CNN. September 10, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  13. ↑ Ax, Joseph; Brooks, Brad; Shalal, Andrea (September 10, 2025). "Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk shot dead in 'political assassination'". Reuters. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  14. ↑ Moreau, Jordan (September 10, 2025). "Conservative Activist Charlie Kirk Shot During Utah Debate". Variety. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Tump says he'll attend funeral – and second lady comforts widow". Sky News. September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 12, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  16. ↑ Mendoza, Diego (September 11, 2025). ""You didn't deserve it," air traffic controller honors Charlie Kirk as casket lands in Arizona". CNN. Retrieved September 13, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  17. ↑ "Charlie Kirk memorial to be held in Arizona stadium". Sky News. September 14, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  18. ↑ Hubbard, Kaia; Walsh, Joe; Quinn, Melissa; Watson, Kathryn (September 12, 2025). "Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah event; gunman still at large". CBS News. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Live updates: Charlie Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson charged with murder; prosecutors seek death penalty". NBC News. September 16, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Live updates: Charlie Kirk shooting suspect charged with murder, prosecutors to seek death penalty". The Washington Post. 2025-09-16. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-09-16.