What to know about the ongoing manhunt for Charlie Kirk's killer
Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old American right-wing activist and founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
The shooting happened on Wednesday, September 10, during an outdoor event attended by around 3,000 people. At the time of the incident, Kirk was answering a question on gun violence.
Video footage shows Kirk reaching for his neck and collapsing from his chair, with visible bleeding from his neck. He was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital but died hours later. Utah Governor Spencer Cox described the incident as a “political assassination”.
Ongoing manhunt for the sniper
- As of Wednesday night, approximately eight hours after the shooting, no suspect had been arrested. Authorities confirmed that the shooter was still “at large.” Surveillance footage captured someone dressed in dark clothing who is believed to be the sniper. The fatal shot is thought to have been fired from a rooftop at the university campus.
- Two men were detained and questioned by law enforcement. One, known locally as a political “gadfly,” was charged with obstruction, but neither was linked to the shooting.
- The Utah Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation, collaborating with the FBI and local law enforcement agencies. Authorities are reviewing security footage and searching multiple crime scenes, including the shooting location and areas where the suspect may have moved.
- Beau Mason, head of the state’s public safety department, stated that the attack appeared to be targeted. However, as of Wednesday night, the motive remained unclear, and the shooter’s political views were still unknown.
Trump reacts to the killing
Charlie Kirk had played a key role in connecting young voters to Donald Trump’s political base. Trump called the killing an act of “terrorism” and blamed it on radical left-wing rhetoric.
“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass 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,” Trump said.
He also ordered that all U.S. government flags be flown at half-staff until Sunday to honour Kirk.
He is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their two children—a son and a daughter.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
