Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk shot at US university

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Kirk is reportedly in critical condition after being shot while presenting at Utah Valley University, then taken from premises by his security team, officials say.

Charlie Kirk, the CEO and cofounder of the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA, was shot at an event at a Utah college, Turning Point said. A suspect was in custody, the college said.

“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA, on Wednesday.

A source told The Associated Press news agency that Kirk is in critical condition.

Video of the incident circulating on social media showed Kirk addressing a large outdoor crowd when a loud crack that sounded like a gunshot rang out. Kirk can be seen briefly moving his hand to his neck as he falls off his chair, sending the attendees running.

“A shot was fired from a nearby building, and we have a suspect in custody,” a university spokesperson told Reuters in an email.

FBI Director Kash Patel said agents would be on the scene quickly.

“We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University,” Patel said on X. “Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected.”

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organisation. The event had divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures.

The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue”.

Spike in political violence

Kirk played a key role in driving youth support for US President Donald Trump in November. His events at college campuses nationwide typically draw large crowds.

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

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said in an interview on Fox News Channel that he heard one shot and saw Kirk go back.

“It seemed like it was a close shot,” Chaffetz said, who seemed shaken as he spoke.

He said there was a light police presence at the event, and Kirk had some security, but not enough.

“Utah is one of the safest places on the planet,” he said. “And so, we just don’t have these types of things.”

The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum.

The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado rally for Israeli captives in Gaza, and an arson attack in April on the Pennsylvania governor’s home.

The most notorious of these events was the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.

Source:

Al Jazeera and news agencies