Trump’s most vocal ally Charlie Kirk shot dead

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal allies, was shot dead during a university event in Utah on Wednesday, in what authorities believe was a targeted assassination. He was 31. Kirk, the cofounder of the youth conservative group Turning Point USA, was addressing students and supporters at Utah Valley University, about 63km (40 miles) from Salt Lake City, when the attack took place. Videos circulating online show him speaking to a large crowd when a single gunshot rang out. He clutched his neck and collapsed as terrified attendees screamed and fle

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal allies, was shot dead during a university event in Utah on Wednesday, in what authorities believe was a targeted assassination. He was 31. Kirk, the cofounder of the youth conservative group Turning Point USA, was addressing students and supporters at Utah Valley University, about 63km (40 miles) from Salt Lake City, when the attack took place. Videos circulating online show him speaking to a large crowd when a single gunshot rang out. He clutched his neck and collapsed as terrified attendees screamed and fled in all directions. The news of Kirk’s death was first confirmed by Trump on 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. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.” Trump later addressed the nation in a White House video message, ordering flags to be flown at half-mast until Sunday in Kirk’s honor. He blamed the “radical left” for creating a climate of hostility that fueled the attack.   “It is long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonising those with whom you disagree, day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible,” Trump said. The shooting stunned those present. Jeb Jacobi, a Turning Point USA volunteer, recalled the chaos as the attack unfolded. “I was on the third row from the bottom. I saw Charlie collapse in a pool of blood, and he was dragged off and carried over to the car. It was shocking to see,” Jacobi told Al Jazeera. “It was one of the most shocking things I’ve ever seen.” He described the crowd’s reaction as frantic. “People were panicking, people were screaming, people were running in all different directions,” he said. “It was awful. I started panicking. I called my family, I called my parents, I called my aunt, my sister. I talked to everyone.” Utah Governor Spencer Cox condemned the killing as a “political assassination.” “This is a dark day for our state. It is a tragic day for our nation,” Cox said at a press conference. He emphasized that the murder struck at the heart of free speech and open debate. “Charlie Kirk was first and foremost a husband and dad to two young children,” Cox said. Democrats also joined in condemning the killing. Former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama issued statements denouncing political violence. “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence,” Biden said. “It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.” California Governor Gavin Newsom described the shooting as “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible,” writing on X that America must reject political violence “in EVERY form.” The shock spread far beyond U.S. borders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Kirk “a lion-hearted friend of Israel.” “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. We lost an incredible human being,” Netanyahu wrote on X. As flags across the United States fly at half-mast, tributes continue to pour in for a man celebrated by his supporters as a fearless defender of conservative values.