Audio By Carbonatix
Conservative activist and media personality Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while debating students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, a day before he was scheduled to come to Colorado.
Kirk was known for controversial statements and provocative social media content he’s made over the years, including pushing the claim that Aurora was taken over by Venezuelan gangs, defending far-right views, and being an early supporter of President Donald Trump. He also founded Turning Point USA, a nonprofit that aims to create young conservatives through debates and speeches on college campuses.
On September 10, Kirk was hosting a “Prove Me Wrong” table at Utah Vallery, where students could come up to debate him on his conservative values. He planned to tour campuses in Utah, Colorado, Montana and Virginia for an “American Comeback Tour,” and Orem was his first stop.
Videos from the event show Kirk finishing up a point about gun violence and then being shot through the neck. He appears to immediately pass out and keel over while bleeding profusely. Students around the “Prove Me Wrong” tent then scream and flee.
Kirk was scheduled to be in Woodland Park, Colorado, near Colorado Springs on Thursday, September 11, to speak at a Truth & Liberty Conference, and then travel to Fort Collins on September 18 to host a “Prove Me Wrong” table and a separate “evening event” at Colorado State University.
He was invited to speak at the CSU campus by a CSU chapter of Turning Point USA. The Turning Point USA chapter and the Truth & Liberty Coalition have not responded to requests for comments.
In a post on social media, Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert said she was “praying” for Kirk, and also posted (and then deleted) a statement about his shooting and an active shooter at a high school in Evergreen, Colorado.
Lauren Boebert posted on X shortly after the shooting.
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Colorado Governor Jared Polis also shared his thoughts: “Political violence is never acceptable and I condemn the brutal and inexcusable attack on Charlie Kirk in Utah. This is a challenging time for so many in our country, but any divisions we face will never be solved by trying to hurt each other. I am sending hope and love to his friends and his family in this dark hour. I encourage everyone to be stronger and disagree better and peacefully.”
An avid supporter of President Donald Trump since 2016, Kirk tried to recruit young students to support Trump for the 2020 election, which brought him to the CSU campus with Donald Trump Jr. Last year, he supported Trump’s campaign against Kamala Harris by organizing the “You’re Being Brainwashed” college campus tour and the AmericaFest conference for pro-Trump organizations.
Students at Utah Valley University started a petition on Friday, August 29, to oppose Kirk’s visit.
“As a university deeply committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, it stands at odds with the messages frequently associated with Charlie Kirk and his platform,” the petition reads. “Allowing him to speak on our campus would not only misrepresent the values we hold dear but also create an environment where divisive rhetoric could flourish.”
Since Trump was reelected, notable conservative figures have made plans to come to Colorado for speaking and fundraising events, including Eric Trump, Steve Bannon and Kyle Rittenhouse. However, all three had some trouble holding down a location and keeping protesters away.
In a post on Truth Social after Kirk’s death, the president said Kirk was “loved and admired by all.”
