Chilling Video Shows Charlie Kirk Assassin On Rooftop Moments Before Fatal Shooting

Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died after being shot during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, prompting a multijurisdictional manhunt, conflicting early statements from officials, and renewed debate over security at political campus gatherings. He was 31. The shooting occurred shortly after midday as Kirk was speaking to a large crowd on the Orem, Utah, campus during a stop on his American Comeback Tour, according to university officials and law enforcement. Witnesses reported a single shot, a collapse on stage, and a chaotic evacuation as police and emergency medical teams converged on the scene. Kirk was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead later in the afternoon.

Authorities said the gunfire appeared to come from an elevated position near the event area. Investigators cordoned off parts of campus and surrounding streets while tactical units, federal agents, and local police combed buildings, reviewed surveillance footage, and interviewed witnesses. In the hours after the attack, state and federal officials offered differing accounts of whether a suspect had been detained. Initial statements from some agencies indicated a person of interest was in custody; later briefings emphasized that no one had been formally arrested and the search continued. The Utah Department of Public Safety, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, the Orem Police Department, and the FBI are jointly handling the investigation. Officials declined to speculate on a motive and urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information as they worked to reconcile conflicting witness accounts and early dispatch reports.

Utah Valley University confirmed that an outdoor event featuring Kirk was underway at the time of the shooting and said campus police, local officers, and medical responders arrived within minutes. The university said it activated emergency protocols, including shelter-in-place advisories for parts of campus, before later lifting restrictions to allow students to leave under police direction. Administrators said classes and activities were disrupted for the remainder of the day and that counseling services would be made available to students and staff. The school said it would cooperate fully with investigators and review its event procedures once the criminal inquiry advances.

The attack drew swift reactions from national figures across the political spectrum. President Donald Trump issued a message of condolence, calling the killing a dark moment and praising Kirk’s role in mobilizing young conservatives. Senior Republicans and Democrats condemned the shooting and urged calm. Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the attack a political assassination and said the state would devote all necessary resources to locate the shooter. FBI Director Kash Patel said federal agents were on scene supporting the state-led investigation and pledged continued assistance with forensic analysis and intelligence gathering.

Witnesses described a single report of gunfire interrupting a question-and-answer segment. Some said they initially mistook the sound for a firecracker before seeing Kirk fall and people begin to scatter. Others reported seeing blood and hearing shouts to get down as members of Kirk’s security team and campus police rushed the stage. Students and attendees were directed to exit along predetermined routes while officers moved toward a nearby building that offered a clear sightline to the stage area. Investigators have not said whether they believe the shooter acted alone or had help. They also have not confirmed the caliber of the weapon or whether the shot was fired from a rooftop or a higher floor through an open window. Police asked anyone with video recorded before, during, or after the event to submit footage to a designated evidence portal.

The event at Utah Valley University was the first scheduled stop in a new run of campus appearances by Kirk, whose in-person debates and campus “Prove Me Wrong” tables became a signature format during the past decade. His organization, Turning Point USA, presents the events as opportunities for students to challenge conservative ideas and for the group to recruit activists and volunteers. The events have at times drawn protests or petitions seeking cancellation, while also generating lines of attendees and supporters who credit the tour with providing a forum for direct ideological confrontation. University administrators typically treat such visits as protected speech events and rely on security plans tailored to the expected crowd, the venue’s layout, and the level of online attention in the days before the appearance.

 

Law enforcement officials said they were examining whether the shooter exploited the open-air setup to target the stage from distance. Security experts who reviewed early images of the site noted that large outdoor audiences under event tents can present complex protection challenges, particularly on open campuses with multiple multi-story buildings within line of sight. Standard mitigations include counter-sniper overwatch, controlled perimeters, bag checks, and layered screening, but the balance between accessibility and security varies by venue and sponsor. Utah Valley University declined to discuss specific pre-event security measures, citing the ongoing investigation, but said it would conduct a comprehensive review of its protocols with law enforcement input.

Kirk rose to prominence after founding Turning Point USA in 2012, building the Arizona-based nonprofit into a sprawling youth conservative network that claims thousands of college and high school chapters. In recent years he hosted a daily radio show and podcast, appeared frequently at rallies and conservative conferences, and maintained close ties with the Trump political orbit. Supporters credited him with energizing young voters on the right and translating campus activism into sustained fundraising and organizing power. Critics accused him of amplifying conspiratorial rhetoric and advancing a combative style of politics that blurred lines between debate and provocation. The group’s campus events repeatedly tested administrative policies on speech, security, and student fees, turning universities into recurring arenas for broader national culture fights.

Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two children. In a statement, Turning Point USA said its staff and student activists were devastated and asked for privacy for the family while memorial arrangements are made. The organization said it would suspend events temporarily and offer counseling resources to employees and students who were present or otherwise affected by the shooting. The group did not comment on whether it expects to resume the American Comeback Tour at a later date, saying only that its focus was on cooperating with authorities and supporting those in mourning.

In the hours after the shooting, national media outlets broadcast footage captured by attendees showing Kirk on stage moments before the gunfire and the immediate aftermath as security rushed to shield the area. Eyewitness accounts varied on the precise sequence of events, but several described a Q&A exchange followed by a brief pause and then the shot. Those present said they saw police moving toward a building across a plaza as officers shouted for people to take cover. The university said it would take statements from any student or staff member who could provide information helpful to the investigation and that it would coordinate with local hospitals to track the status of those treated for injuries sustained during the evacuation.

Officials urged caution amid a flurry of unverified claims about suspects and motives. Early in the evening, some reports indicated that a person wearing dark clothing and tactical-style gear had been detained; later statements emphasized that no suspect was in custody and that investigators were still vetting descriptions. Authorities said they were reviewing 911 calls, radio traffic, and CCTV timelines to reconcile discrepancies, a process that could take days. They also appealed for patience as forensic teams processed potential firing positions, collected ballistic evidence, and analyzed digital leads.

The killing immediately renewed discussions about security for political speakers on college campuses. Universities frequently coordinate with outside groups hosting events on campus, and security planning can involve multiple agencies when attendance is expected to be high or the speaker is considered a potential target. Budget, logistics, and campus culture can shape decisions about metal detectors, bag checks, perimeters, and sniper overwatch. On an open campus, officials said, controlling every vantage point is challenging, and planners rely on intelligence, crowd management, and surveillance to mitigate risk. State officials said they would review current guidance to public universities for high-risk events and consider additional resources for security where appropriate.

Kirk’s death also prompted statements from political leaders calling for a de-escalation of heated rhetoric and denouncing violence in politics. Congressional leaders from both parties issued condolences, and state officials across the Mountain West cited the case as another example of targeted violence cutting into public life. Civil society organizations urged authorities to provide clear updates to avoid rumor cascades and to protect the integrity of the investigation. Legal analysts said prosecutors would likely pursue capital charges if a suspect is identified and arrested, depending on state law and federal statutes covering attacks on public venues.

As investigators built a formal timeline, attention turned to what Kirk did and said in the minutes before the shooting. Video shows him moving into a question period after remarks about the tour’s goals and campus debate. He fielded questions on several topics, including gun policy, according to witness interviews collected by local outlets. Less than half an hour into the program, the shot rang out. The crowd scattered, with some attendees taking shelter behind vehicles and others running toward campus buildings as police shouted directions.

Only later in the evening did a detail emerge that quickly spread online: minutes before the shooting, Kirk posted a short message on X touting the event’s energy and the tour’s return to campuses. The post read, “Utah Valley University is FIRED UP and READY for the first stop back on the American Comeback Tour,” and included a photo of a crowded quad and the tented stage area. The post was widely shared before being taken down following confirmation that he had been shot. Supporters described the message as emblematic of his approach to campus events, using social media to spur turnout and frame the encounter in positive terms. The proximity of the post to the attack drew comment from allies and critics alike as the day’s timeline came into focus.

By nightfall, police presence remained heavy around the university. Tactical units maintained perimeters while detectives and federal agents rotated through interviews. Officials said they were analyzing cellphone location data and license-plate reader hits to identify vehicles and devices in the vicinity at the time of the shot. They cautioned that the volume of tips would require careful vetting and that they would not release speculative information about persons of interest. The university said it expected to resume limited operations once the scene was fully processed but warned that some buildings would remain closed while evidence teams worked.

Kirk’s organization said it would announce memorial details in the coming days and asked chapters nationwide to hold local gatherings to honor his memory. Conservative groups planned vigils in several cities, and elected officials signaled they would attend services. Security planners said any memorial event in the near term would likely see heightened measures in response to the attack. Universities around the country reviewed upcoming event schedules for controversial speakers and began consulting with local law enforcement about additional precautions.

The investigation is expected to center on two tracks: identification and capture of the shooter, and assessment of any broader network that may have facilitated the attack. Forensic teams will compare ballistic evidence with databases and examine any recovered shell casings, bullets, or marks that can indicate a weapon type. Digital forensics will review social posts, messages, and livestreams for clues about planning or threats made in advance. Analysts will map sightlines, measure distances, and reconstruct the shot’s likely trajectory to narrow the search area for the firing position. If authorities obtain suspect images, they will distribute them to the public with requests for identification.

While many questions remain, the essential timeline is now clear. A high-profile political figure appeared for a campus event early Wednesday afternoon. Within minutes, a single shot cut through the program. The speaker was rushed to a hospital and died. Confusion over a suspect followed, then a broader manhunt. Statements of grief poured in from political leaders and from the youth activists who built careers alongside the victim. And a brief social media post, shared just before the attack, became a grim timestamp on a day that began as a routine stop on a college tour and ended with a homicide investigation drawing national attention.