Journalism of Courage
Authorities in the United States are still searching on the second day for the suspect who fatally shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an appearance at Utah Valley University, in what officials described as a “targeted attack.” President Donald Trump announced today he would soon award Kirk a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded by the president.
Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the FBI Salt Lake field office, said early on Thursday at a press conference that the firearm used in the shooting of Kirk on Wednesday at the Utah college campus has been recovered. Bohls described the weapon as a “high-powered, bolt action rifle” and said it was found in a wooded area where the suspect had fled. The FBI will now conduct a thorough analysis of the recovered rifle.
The Utah department of public safety said the case remained an “active investigation,” with support from the FBI and local police. Two suspects were initially detained but later released.
Beau Mason, the state’s public safety commissioner, said investigators were reviewing security footage of a man in dark clothing, believed to have fired “a longer distance shot” from a rooftop.
Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, was struck while addressing an audience of about 3,000 people. Video clips circulating online showed Kirk being questioned about gun violence moments before the sound of gunfire sent students running for safety. He was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. “Charlie Kirk was a major role model and hero for me,” said 19-year-old attendee Ammon Paxton, who claimed he was standing directly in front of Kirk when he collapsed, The Guardian reported.
The shooting left the UVU campus in Orem, near Salt Lake City, on lockdown late into the night. Police vehicles blocked entrances, while vigils quickly formed across the region. At Timpanogos hospital, mourners draped American flags and set candles around its sign, placing homemade posters such as “Peacemakers wanted” and “we love you Charlie Kirk.” Despite sprinklers soaking the memorial lawn, supporters shielded the site with plastic bottles and bags to keep the vigil going.
In a statement, Utah governor Spencer Cox called the killing a “political assassination,” even as the shooter’s motive remained unclear. “This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” Cox said, urging an end to political violence. Faculty members at UVU echoed his call. “We won’t minimise actions like this around the world, ever,” said professor Greg Cronin. “But we can minimise the impact that they are allowed to have.”
President Trump, speaking in a video address from the Oval Office, vowed retribution. “My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organisations that fund it and support it,” he declared. The President ordered flags lowered to half-mast through Sunday. He blamed “radical left political violence” for Kirk’s death, saying: “Violence and murder are the tragic consequences of demonising those you disagree with … For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals.”
On Thursday morning, Trump, who attended an event at the Pentagon commemorating the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US, announced that he will award the Medal of Freedom posthumously to Kirk.
The White House described Kirk as one of the most influential figures in the conservative youth movement, crediting him with mobilising support that helped Trump secure reelection. With his strong social media presence, podcasting platform, and Turning Point events, Kirk cultivated a devoted following while amplifying Trump’s agenda and engaging in culture-war debates over immigration, race, and gender. Wednesday’s Utah event had been billed as the opening of his “American Comeback Tour.”
Reactions poured in from across the political spectrum. Former president Barack Obama condemned political violence as “despicable,” while President Joe Biden insisted there was “no place in our country for this kind of violence.” Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House minority leader, added: “Political violence of any kind and against any individual is unacceptable and completely incompatible with American values.”
The attack on Kirk comes amid a surge of politically motivated violence across the US. According to Reuters data, the country is experiencing its most sustained wave of such violence since the 1970s, with more than 300 incidents recorded since the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. In the first half of 2025 alone, there were about 150 politically linked attacks — nearly double last year’s pace.
Even as authorities pursue the shooter, questions linger about the atmosphere that allowed such an attack to take place. Kirk’s provocative style, often criticised as incendiary, made him a lightning rod in America’s deeply divided political climate. “One of our greatest heroes is dead,” Paxton, the young attendee, said as per The Guardian, MAGA cap in hand.
