Trump ally Charlie Kirk shot during event at Utah Valley University

Charlie Kirk, the powerful rightwing activist, Trump ally and executive director of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), was shot on Wednesday while hosting an event in Utah and is in critical condition at a hospital.

In video posts circulating on social media, Kirk can be seen getting struck while speaking and sitting beneath a tent in the Utah Valley University courtyard. Kirk was there as part of The American Comeback Tour, which is hosted by the TPUSA chapter at Utah Valley. There is also video footage of students on campus running away from the sound of gunshots.

A law enforcement official told the Associated Press that Kirk is in critical condition at a hospital. A TPUSA official told CBS of Kirk that “it doesn’t look good” and confirmed he was shot in the neck.

In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, the university said: “UVU campus is closed. Classes cancelled. Those on campus, secure in place until police officers can escort you safely off campus. We ask for your patience throughout this process. We are providing updates as best as possible. This is an ongoing and unfolding event.”

A spokeswoman for Utah Valley University told the New York Times that Kirk was struck by a suspect who had fired from a building about 200 yards away.

Scott Trotter, a university spokesman, also told the Times that “a person who was taken into custody after the shooting was not actually the shooter” despite saying earlier that there was a suspect in custody. There is no suspect in custody.

The Utah governor, Spencer Cox, posted on X that he would “continue to share updates” and that “those responsible will be held fully accountable”.

“Violence has no place in our public life. Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act. Our prayers are with Charlie, his family, and all those affected,” he wrote.

Mike Lee, a Utah senator, posted on X shortly after reports broke that Kirk had been shot to say he is “tracking the situation at Utah Valley University closely. Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk and the students gathered there.”

Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!”

JD Vance, the vice-president, tweeted: “Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father.” Those sentiments were echoed by the secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth: “Prayers for Charlie Kirk. An incredible Christian, American, and human being. May the healing hand of Jesus Christ be upon him.”

The FBI director, Kash Patel, said the FBI is “closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University … Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”

Eyewitnesses told the Guardian that Kirk was being questioned about mass shootings when he was shot in the neck.

Deseret News reporter Emma Pitts, who was at the event, said that Kirk was on his second question and that it was “regarding mass shootings”.

“The person he was debating had asked about if he knew how many mass shootings had involved a transgender shooter to which Kirk responded,” Pitts said. Then, “he asked how many mass shootings had [there] been in the last couple of years” and “before he could even answer, we heard a gunshot and we just saw Charlie Kirk’s neck turn to the side and it appeared that he had been shot in the neck”.

“There was blood, immediately a lot of blood,” Pitts said. “After the shots were fired, everyone immediately took to the ground … we were just trying to stay hidden.”

Then, Pitts said, “everyone started running away”.

Videos circulating on social media showed an attendee asking Kirk: “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” In response, Kirk says: “Too many,” as the crowd clapped.

In a follow-up question, the attendee asks: “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” Kirk replies: “Counting or not counting gang violence?” Seconds later, Kirk could be seen struck in the neck as he falls back in his chair.

Eva Terry, another Deseret News reporter who was at the event, told the Guardian that the direction of the shot looked like it “came from the middle to the right side of the audience”.

Describing the suspect, Terry said that he looked like “an older gentleman, probably in his late 50s to 60s, wearing what looks like a worker’s uniform”.

The shooting was quickly condemned by the California governor, Gavin Newsom, who said “the attack on Charlie Kirk” was “disgusting, vile and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”

Shortly before shots rang out, Kirk tweeted: “WE. ARE. SO. BACK. Utah Valley University is FIRED UP and READY for the first stop back on the American Comeback Tour.”