Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, in the state of Utah, on Wednesday, university officials announced.
According to the Associated Press, Kirk is in the hospital in critical condition.
An emergency alert issued by the university states that the incident involved only one shot. The suspect is in custody, and police said they are investigating the shooting.
“We can confirm that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Obri Lejč, a public relations manager for Turning Point USA, which Kirk founded.
University officials told Scripps News Salt Lake City that the shots were fired from the top of a campus building, approximately 200 meters from where Kirk was speaking under a tent.
The shooting occurred about 20 minutes after Kirk began his speech, at around 12:10 PM local time. “He was hit and security immediately evacuated him,” the university’s statement said.
Footage of the moment of the shooting in the courtyard of the Sorensen Center on campus has been published on social media. A single shot can be heard, and Kirk, who was sitting under a tent with a microphone in his hand, can be seen reaching for his bloody neck.
Former congressman from Utah, Jason Chaffetz, told Fox News that the shooting happened while Kirk was answering a question about transgender mass attackers.
Details about the suspect or their motives are not yet known.
State Attorney Pam Bondi stated that the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are at the scene.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau is closely monitoring the situation: “Agents will be on site quickly,” he wrote on X.
Who Is Charlie Kirk?
Kirk is the executive director and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a youth organization that promotes conservative ideas in American colleges and high schools.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on the public to pray for Kirk.
“An exceptional guy from head to toe. God bless him!,” Trump wrote.
Utah Governor, Republican Spencer Cox, announced that he is aware of the incident and stated that “the responsible party will be fully brought to justice.”
Utah Valley University is located in Orem, about 65 kilometers south of Salt Lake City. It is the largest state university in the state, with nearly 47,000 students.
The campus is closed, and classes were canceled on Wednesday. University officials called on students and staff to remain indoors until police escort them to a safe place.
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Source: kxlf.com, Foto: AP / Tess Crowley