Charlie Kirk, a staunch supporter of US President Donald Trump and CEO of Turning Point USA, has died after being assassinated at a student event.
According to RT news agency, Mr. Kirk, a famous American right-wing activist, was shot in the neck while giving a speech at Utah Valley University on September 10. Sharing with the New York Times, a spokesperson for Utah Valley University said that the victim was shot from a building about 180m away from the speaking location, about 20 minutes after giving a speech to the crowd.
“The great and even legendary Charlie Kirk has passed away. No one knows or has the heart of young people in America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by everyone, especially me. But now he is no longer with us,” Mr. Trump shared on the social network Truth Social and sent condolences to Kirk’s wife and family.
According to FBI Director Kash Patel, a suspect has been arrested. In a post on social media X hours after the shooting, Patel said: “The person involved in the horrific shooting that took the life of Charlie Kirk is in custody. Thank you to the local and state authorities of Utah for their cooperation with the FBI. We will update as we have more information.”
Known as a decisive player in Mr. Trump’s recent victory in the White House race, Mr. Kirk has helped mobilize young voters, especially young men, through many active activities on university campuses, online debates and non-stop voter outreach activities.
Mr. Kirk had a close relationship with Mr. Trump and the president’s family during his first term in the White House. He is even one of the most influential figures in shaping conservative politics for young people in the US. Kirk is married with two children.
Kirk rose to prominence by debating liberal, progressive students. His videos have been viewed tens of millions of times across multiple platforms and translated into multiple languages, expanding his reach beyond the United States. He has also attracted millions of followers on X and TikTok and has become a household name among young conservatives.
Through Turning Point USA, Kirk has built the fastest-growing conservative student organization in the United States, helping Trump gain support from young people. Notably, Kirk has strongly opposed US aid to Ukraine and believes that US border security is more important.
Commenting on the Telegram channel about the shooting that took Kirk’s life, Kirill Dmitriev, an aide to Russian President Putin, praised Kirk for calling for dialogue with Moscow. “The assassination of a figure who stood for reason and opposed hysteria is highlighting the deep rift in the United States,” Mr. Dmitriev said.
Leave a Reply