President Donald Trump urged supporters on Thursday, September 11, to respond peacefully to the killing of right-wing campaigner Charlie Kirk, as the murderer continued to evade a manhunt more than 24 hours after a shooting that put an already divided United States on edge. Trump, who soon after the killing angrily pledged a wide-ranging response against the "radical left," told reporters that Kirk had been "an advocate of nonviolence," adding, "that's the way I'd like to see people respond."
Kirk, a 31-year-old superstar on the Republican right who harnessed surging youth support for Trump, was shot while addressing a large crowd at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. But a day later, authorities said the gunman remained at large.
"Multiple leads are currently being investigated, but no suspect is in custody," Utah law enforcement officials posted.
"We're doing everything we can to find him, and we're not sure how far he has gone yet," FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls said earlier.
The FBI, which described the attack on Kirk as "targeted," published photos of a young person it called "the potential shooter." The pictures showed a man wearing a black baseball cap, dark sunglasses, and what appeared to be jeans, with a long-sleeved top emblazoned with a design that included an American flag. A reward of up to $100,000 was posted for information leading to his capture. Police say they believe the shooter fired a single bullet from a rooftop up to 200 yards (180 meters), hitting Kirk in the neck. A high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered in a wooded area.
Reflecting the highly political nature of the killing, Kirk's coffin was transported to his home city of Phoenix on JD Vance's official plane. Footage showed the vice president with his hands on the casket as it was carried to Air Force Two. Kirk's widow, Erika, held hands with Vance's wife as they got off the plane in Arizona, the headquarters of the powerful Turning Point USA.
The right-wing mediasphere remained in a state of heightened emotion Thursday, with Fox News contributors recounting the impact Kirk had on their lives. Conspiracy theories ricocheted around the internet, while calls for a return to civility vied with those demanding vengeance.
"THIS IS WAR" wrote the popular right-wing X account of @LibsofTikTOK.
Fox News host Jesse Watters on Wednesday said the killing showed his side of the political spectrum was under attack.
"Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. And what are we going to do about it?" he asked his audience.
Students at the Utah Valley University on Thursday described the shock, and their broader fears as political divisions deepen across the country.
Dave Sanchez told AFP witnessing the killing made him "sick to my stomach."
"We watch him all the time and so it really does feel like one of your own family members, your own brother's been killed," said Sanchez, 26.
Kirk, who supporters have hailed as a "martyr" for conservative ideals, had an outsized influence in US politics. He co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, with his natural showmanship making him a go-to spokesman on television networks.
Kirk used his enormous audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events. Three months ago, a Minnesota man shot dead a Democratic lawmaker and her husband in their home, and Trump survived an assassination attempt during his election campaign in July 2024.