Liberal students cheered after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot, an eyewitness has claimed.

Mariah Petersen, 18, said she was standing around 30ft from Kirk when he was hit by the shooter’s bullet as he spoke to an audience at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon.

Ms Petersen, who is studying psychology, told The Telegraph that before the Turning Point USA event started there had been “a lot of back and forth” between a group of “strong, Left-leaning Democrats” and members of the audience.

“When he was shot, there were cheers from the balcony [behind Kirk],” she said. “It was horrific to be a part of. There was just no human empathy.”

She said she was worried the horror of Kirk’s death would make universities more apprehensive about inviting conservative speakers to college campuses.