Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dead after being shot at US university

US President Donald Trump’s confirmation of the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, his close ally, at an event at Utah Valley University sent shock waves through an already deeply divided nation on Wednesday.

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie”, Trump wrote on social media.

He added that Kirk was “loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

Kirk, who was 31 years old, co-founded Turning Point USA, a non-profit promoting conservative values on school campuses, in 2021. He rose to fame through his confrontational campus debates and social media presence, becoming a key figure in mobilising young Republicans and aligning with Trump.

Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at an outdoor event in Orem, Utah, where hundreds of people had gathered. The shooting occurred after he took a question from an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.