Charlie Kirk’s tragic final words before he was shot dead at Utah event

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a Utah event on Wednesday

The final words of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, before he was tragically shot and killed at a Utah event, have been circulated on social media.

The horrifying shooting took place on Wednesday at Utah Valley University, at around 12.25pm local time. The 31 year old commentator was addressing attendees through a handheld microphone whilst seated beneath a white marquee displaying the messages “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong” just moments before the shooting occurred.

He was in the midst of a discussion about gun violence in the US when he was shot by an unidentified gunman, who remains on the loose. Responding to a question about mass shootings in America, Kirk asked if they were “Counting, or not counting gang violence?” A shot rang out and, immediately, Kirk lurched forward as blood started to pour from his neck.

He then collapsed from his chair as terrified students ran from the scene. It’s reported that the shooter executed the dreadful act from a distance using a rifle, with early information indicating that the shot was taken from a rooftop roughly 200 metres away. No one else was harmed in the shooting.

Several witnesses who spoke up shortly after the shooting seemed to imply that Kirk was the victim of a targeted attack, given that no further shots were fired after he was hit.

“We heard a big loud shot, I saw a load of blood come out of Charlie, I saw his body kind of kick back and go limp, and everybody dropped to the ground,” witness Justin Hickens recounted.

He added that attendees gradually regained their composure once they realised the gunfire had ceased after the conservative activist was struck.

Kirk was the CEO and Co-founder of Turning Point USA, a media organisation famous for its campus visits to predominantly liberal universities where they engage in debates on divisive political topics.

President Donald Trump has subsequently posted a tribute on his Truth Social platform, saying: “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. He 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!”

Trump also ordered all US flags to be flown at half mast until Sunday in the wake of the commentator’s killing.

Who was Charlie Kirk?

Charlie Kirk was a leading MAGA activist, author, and media personality best known as the co-founder and head of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a conservative youth organisation established in 2012, when he was just 18.

Born on October 14 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, Kirk briefly studied at Harper College before deciding to fully commit his career to activism.

The turning point in Kirk’s life came after he delivered a speech at Benedictine University, where a wealthy conservative businessman, Bill Montgomery, was watching and noticed his rhetorical ability. With his funding, Kirk was able to found Turning Points USA, which has amassed millions of followers for its divisive and often far-right response to liberal college campuses.

He also founded a UK version of this movement, which has not gained the same traction. Earlier this year, Kirk even travelled across the pond to debate students at the Oxford Union, where he was taken to task over his support for Trump and his many extreme positions over the years.

The past year saw the 31-year-old reach the zenith of his power, becoming a key public spokesperson for Trump’s movement both during the campaign and the President’s second term in office. This saw Kirk take a headline spot during the inauguration, as well as several appearances in the White House during major moments of Trump’s first nine months in office.

Kirk has penned five books advocating a right-wing agenda and supporting President Donald Trump and the Make America Great Again movement. Kirk married his wife Erika Frantzve in Scottsdale, Arizona, on May 8, 2021. The couple had two children.