Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Wednesday at a speaking event in Utah. As the nation mourns, we look back at the remarkable legacy of a man who helped reshape American politics.

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Charlie Kirk Assassinated at 31

Topline: Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and a profoundly influential voice in the conservative movement, was assassinated on Wednesday afternoon during a campus speaking event at Utah Valley University. He was 31 years old.

The attack occurred approximately 20 minutes into one of Kirk’s signature “Prove Me Wrong” open-mic debates. As Kirk was engaging with a student, a single shot rang out, striking him in the neck. Security footage appears to show a figure on the roof of an adjacent building, about 200 yards away, at the time of the shooting. Kirk was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after. He leaves behind his wife, Erika, and two young children, ages one and three.

A massive manhunt is underway for the shooter, who remains at large. Authorities initially arrested a man in the chaos following the attack, but announced hours later that he was not involved. Another “person of interest” was later taken into custody by the FBI but has since been released. The FBI has established a special digital tipline for any information regarding the suspect.

Utah DPS Commissioner Beau Mason said at a press conference on Thursday morning that the suspected assassin jumped off the roof after shooting Charlie Kirk and fled into a neighborhood off campus.

Law enforcement is working to speak with any witnesses who may have seen the suspect and to obtain footage from doorbell cameras in the neighborhood.

Authorities said they have “good video footage” of the suspected assassin. Mason said that authorities are holding off on releasing the video footage as they “work through some technologies and ways to identify this individual.”

“If we are unsuccessful, we will reach out to you as the media and we will push that publicly, but we are confident in our abilities right now.”

Mason said that the suspected assassin “appears to be of college age.”

Law enforcement recovered what they believe to be the assassin’s weapon, according to Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office.

Bohls said that “a high-powered bold-action rifle” was recovered “in a wooded area where the shooter had fled.” Investigators are currently analyzing the rifle. The FBI is also analyzing a footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints.

The assassination of one of the conservative movement’s brightest stars has sent shockwaves across the nation, drawing an outpouring of grief, prayers, and condemnation from political leaders and cultural figures.

President Donald Trump ordered all flags to be flown at half-staff for five days, issuing a statement that read:

“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…Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox called the attack a “political assassination” and delivered a stern warning:

“Charlie believed in the power of free speech and debate to shape ideas and persuade people…When someone takes the life of a person because of their ideas or ideals, that very constitutional foundation is threatened…And I just want to remind people that we still have the death penalty here in the state of Utah.”

Congressman Mike Kennedy (R-UT) added:

“Violence will not silence the people of the United States of America. Charlie Kirk, he spoke his mind, and under threats, he continued to speak his mind and I find that to be admirable.”

Tributes have poured in from across the conservative world, including from many at The Daily Wire who knew and worked with Kirk.

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro said:

“Charlie will dwell in the house of the Lord. Charlie belongs to history.”

Daily Wire host Michael Knowles remembered him, saying:

“Charlie Kirk would’ve been president. His friends knew it, his many, many admirers knew it. And his enemies – to whom he was always so gracious – they knew it too. Everybody knew it. I remember from, actually, I think even before I first met Charlie, so now we’re talking many, many years ago, people would joke, they’d say, well, we’re all gonna be working for Charlie Kirk someday.”

Morning Wire Senior Editor Cabot Phillips, a longtime friend of Kirk’s, shared a personal reflection:

“He was a good man who sacrificed his time and energy and ultimately his life to engage in civil dialogue with anyone who wanted to talk with him. He was a devoted father and husband, and Christian. I wanna read one of his final tweets this week — it reads ‘Jesus defeated death so you can live.’ I believe that’s true, and I believe that Charlie is more alive right now than he’s ever been.”

The Legacy of Charlie Kirk

Topline: In a tragically short life, Charlie Kirk transformed the American political landscape, building a conservative grassroots juggernaut that energized a new generation and played a pivotal role in President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

At just 18 years old, Kirk founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) with a $10,000 investment and grew it into a political powerhouse with chapters on more than 3,500 high school and college campuses and annual revenues exceeding $92 million. His powerful persuasion and high-quality events drew millions of young people to his cause. He is widely credited with energizing young male voters, a historically apathetic demographic that proved crucial to President Trump’s victory in 2024. As Kirk himself said at a recent TPUSA event:

“This movement is not about Republican or Democrat… this movement is about the citizens versus the oligarchs. This movement is about we, the people versus the ruling class.”

In recent years, Kirk’s focus evolved, showing his growth as not just a political figure but also as a leading moral voice. His Christian faith became central to his message, culminating in the launch of TPUSA Faith. He was adamant that a political transformation in the United States was impossible without a spiritual one, and he used his platform to encourage Christians to bring their biblical values into the public square.

Charlie’s pastor and the co-chair of TPUSA Faith, Rob McCoy, shared a message with The Daily Wire after learning of his friend’s death:

“My friend Charlie Kirk was murdered today by a coward. Charlie’s life will be remembered for many wonderful things. He built it all with the power of the spoken word. He never used violence but was threatened every day with violence by those who couldn’t contend with logic and truth… Charlie did not die however but instead he has begun to truly live. His life was secured eternally by His Savior Jesus Christ. This truth allowed Charlie to face every threat with courage because he didn’t fear death. All evil knows is death and they derive power from death. Charlie lived for life and will be remembered for this…Evil has not prevailed and it will not win. Charlie called me his pastor but I prefer to be known as his friend and greatest fan.”