LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Charlie Kirk, an American political activist and close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, died after being shot in the neck on Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University (UVU).
"In honor of Charlie Kirk, a truly Great American Patriot, I am ordering all American Flags throughout the United States lowered to Half Mast until Sunday evening at 6 p.m.," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform after confirming the death of Kirk.
The local Deseret News reported that Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz earlier said Kirk's death was confirmed to him by Utah law enforcement officials.
Footage shot by local KSL TV 5 showed crowds of people running from the university's courtyard, where Kirk, 31, was holding a speaking event when the shooting occurred. Authorities said early evidence indicated one round was fired from a nearby building.
The university confirmed the shooting on its official X page. "Today at about 12:10 p.m. (1810 GMT), a shot was fired at the visiting speaker, Charlie Kirk. He was hit and taken from the location by his security," it said.
Kirk was visiting the campus as part of his "Prove Me Wrong" event. The event included Kirk inviting people on stage from the audience to debate political ideals with him.
Emma Pitts, a Deseret News reporter, said Kirk appeared at noon. She was five rows from Kirk during the rally, which was held in an open, tiered amphitheater area surrounded by UVU buildings. She called it a "terrible irony." Kirk was asked about mass shootings just before she heard a gunshot from behind her.
A video posted online by bystanders showed that Kirk appeared to be hit in the neck after a gunshot rang out.
"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," said Utah Governor Spencer Cox on X.
Cox called the incident a dark day for Utah and a tragic one for the United States, saying, "I want to be very clear this is a political assassination," and the murder highlighted that "our nation was broken."
Confusion marked the first hours of the investigation as agencies flip-flapped the information. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel and the university authority initially said the shooter was in custody, but at a press conference held on Wednesday afternoon, Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, disclosed that the suspected gunman was still at large.
At the same press conference, Cox said a "person of interest" was in custody, and vowed that federal and state law enforcement agencies would capture the shooter.
Officials detained a man named George Zinn shortly after the shooting but released him after determining that he did not match the shooting suspect and was not a person of interest, said Mason, who believed there was no risk to the community as a manhunt was underway.
"This incident occurred with a large crowd around. There was one shot fired and one victim. While the suspect is at large, we believe this was a targeted attack," said Mason.
Federal agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined police and state authorities, who asked the public to submit tips and videos as they mapped the bullet's path and reviewed security footage.
The incident also fitted into a broader pattern of attacks and threats that have raised concerns about political violence in the United States.
Mainstream outlets devoted wall-to-wall coverage because the incident combined an attack at a public campus with the death of a nationally known organizer central to Republican youth mobilization.
Most media described Kirk as a prominent supporter of Trump and an influential figure among young conservatives. He co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 at age 18, built a nationwide network of campus chapters and became a regular presence in conservative media. He helped strategize Trump's comeback after 2021, expanded organizing through initiatives such as Turning Point Faith, and frequently advised Trump-aligned figures.
The New York Times obituary attributes part of Trump's return to the White House to Kirk's voter-mobilization efforts. It reported that Kirk and allied groups spent "tens of millions of dollars" on turnout operations before the presidential election, and that Trump won about 45 percent of the youth vote nationally, drawing even with Democrat Kamala Harris in several swing states. The obituary also noted Kirk's early push for JD Vance as Trump's running mate and his role in rallying support for key nominees.
As of Wednesday evening, officials had not announced a motive or released any detained person's identity or charges. Authorities keep urging the public to submit tips and footage to aid the investigation, and Utah Valley University said it would continue updates as facts are confirmed. ■