Charlie Kirk shot dead: Massive manhunt on for hours, Trump ally’s shooter still at large

Police and federal agents on Thursday launched a large-scale manhunt for the sniper suspected of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a university appearance in Utah.

Kirk, 31, a podcast host, radio commentator and prominent ally of US president Donald Trump, was killed on Wednesday while addressing students in Orem. Utah governor Spencer Cox described the incident as a political assassination.

The shooting occurred shortly after noon as Kirk was speaking at an outdoor “Prove Me Wrong” event, where he regularly invites students to challenge his views on politics and culture. Video from the scene captured the moment a single gunshot interrupted the gathering.

President Trump, reacting to the killing of a figure credited with mobilising younger conservatives, condemned the attack and pledged decisive action. He called it “a dark moment for America” and vowed those responsible would face consequences.

“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” a somber-looking Trump said in a video message from the Oval Office just hours after Kirk’s death.

“My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity.”

Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, called the killing a “political assassination” but investigators have not yet identified publicly a possible motive.

Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Video from the scene showed him addressing a large crowd when a single shot rang out.

The father-of-two collapsed in his chair before the camera swiftly moved and sounds of panic erupted in the audience.

The Utah Department of Public Safety said the shooter, dressed in dark clothing, fired from a nearby rooftop in what authorities called a “targeted attack.”

Vice President JD Vance was due to travel to Utah to meet Kirk’s family Thursday, a source familiar with the plans said, after he canceled a trip to New York to mark the 9/11 attacks anniversary.

No details on the weapon used have been released, but gun ownership in the United States exacts a staggering toll, with about 20,000 deaths a year from shootings – plus another 25,000 deaths from suicides.

Guns outnumber the 340 million people in the country, and attempts to restrict sales fail due to political deadlock as gun activists fiercely defend their Second Amendment rights.

With inputs from agencies