...
By Kate Plummer and John Feng
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Maps have detailed the site where Charlie Kirk was shot, and the view from a nearby rooftop.
Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative influencer, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday during a question-and-answer session on campus.
He was struck in the neck by a single gunshot. Kirk collapsed, was rushed to a local hospital, and was later pronounced dead.
Read More on U.S.
The Context
The Donald Trump ally was also the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA and frequently visited university campuses to deliver talks.
His death has caused an outpouring of grief from his fans and followers, and others have celebrated his demise, sparking a backlash.
The identity and motivation of the shooter is not yet known but Kirk's death has reignited concerns of deepening political polarization and violence in the U.S. It has also caused people to scrutinize the police and security, with questions raised about how a shooter managed to carry out the attack and escape without being apprehended.
What To Know
Newsweek has created graphics detailing the shooting site and the possible view of Kirk's shooter from the rooftop of the Losee Center on the campus of Utah Valley University. It is not known for certain whether this is where the shooter carried out their attack.
Experts have suggested the attack was carried out by a professional.
Former FBI Agent Stuart Kaplan said the shooter likely put a lot of preparation into the attack, telling Fox News' Jesse Watters: "This assassination, different to the attack [on Trump] back in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a very well planned, very well orchestrated plot that was put in motion days before.
"This individual had a plan of escape to elude detection of being out on a rooftop, and also being able to evade and elude law enforcement," added Kaplan. "This assassination of Charlie Kirk to me is indicative of a professional hit, and I'm not so sure we are quickly going to be able to apprehend this individual without some luck."
...
Former Republican New York State Senator and Homeland Security adviser Michael Balboni similarly told Fox News: "It's an incredibly chaotic scene on a college campus. Hundreds and hundreds of people there, right immediately afterward.
He added: "That a rifle sound … was heard, and yet nobody was able to identify an individual, which most likely means that the individual was shooting from concealment and maybe had some way to suppress or to hide the flash of the gun, and again, indicating that this is a sophisticated individual.
"One shot hitting the target from 200 meters away and then escaping without anybody seeing them—those are the hallmarks of a professional."
...
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post: "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!"
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in an emailed statement to Newsweek on Wednesday: "Today, in yet another horrific act of targeted political violence, Charlie Kirk was murdered in cold blood on a school campus. Though we're still awaiting further details, in all likelihood, he was murdered for expressing his beliefs. I am praying for his family, his friends, and his loved ones."
What Happens Next
Efforts to find Kirk's killer via a federal investigation is still ongoing. Two people who were arrested have since been released.
The university campus will be closed until September 14.
Kirk is survived by his wife and two children.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines