Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has been shot in the neck at an event in Utah and is reportedly in a critical condition.
Shots were fired at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem where Kirk was speaking.
At 12:25 local time, a “single shot rang out in the quad near the food court on the Utah Valley University Orem Campus as Mr. Charlie Kirk began speaking at his planned rally,” Scott Trotter, senior director of Public Relations at Utah Valley University in Orem, told the BBC.
A representative for Turning Point USA – the conservative nonprofit set up by Kirk – confirmed to CBS News that he had been shot in the neck.
Chief marketing officer Marina Minas told the broadcaster: “He was shot in the neck. He’s at the hospital. It doesn’t look good.”
Agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins said in a post on X that she is “hearing he is in a critical condition but still with us.”
Video footage circulating online shows the moment of the shooting. Kirk can be seen under a white ten emblazoned with the words “THE AMERICAN COMEBACK” and “PROVE ME WRONG”, surrounded by students.
Kirk is a fervent Trump supporter and is best known for founding Turning Point USA which seeks to spread conservative ideas to students on US campuses. With millions of followers, he is one of the biggest conservative influencers in the US.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!”
The suspect in the shooting is not yet in custody, a university spokesperson said in a statement.
“We can confirm that Mr. Kirk was shot, but we don’t know his condition. The suspect is not in custody. Police are still investigating Campus is closed for the rest of the day,” UVU spokesperson Scott Trotter said in a statement, according to Deseret News.
His shooting has been universally condemned by US politicians.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox says he has been briefed on Kirk’s shooting, saying the attacker will “be held fully accountable”.
“Violence has no place in our public life. Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act,” he wrote on X.
JD Vance said: “Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father.”
California’s Democratic governor Gavin Newsom wrote: “The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said: “Prayers for Charlie Kirk. An incredible Christian, American, and human being. May the healing hand of Jesus Christ be upon him.”
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi condemned the shooting in a post on X, calling it “reprehensible.”
“Political violence has absolutely no place in our nation,” she said. “All Americans should pray for Charlie Kirk’s recovery and hold the entire UVU community in our hearts as they endure the trauma of this gun violence.”
Minnesota governor Tim Walz wrote in a post: “An open forum for political dialogue and disagreement was upended by a horrific act of targeted violence. In America, we don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint. I’m praying for Charlie, his family, and his young children.”
Kamala Harris wrote: “I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah. Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family. Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.”