Trump Ally and Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead at Utah University

Charlie Kirk, a conservative American activist and influential ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead at a university event in Utah in what authorities described as an apparent targeted assassination, Nils Adler reported for Al Jazeera.

Kirk had faced criticism for promoting racist, Islamophobic, and misogynistic views. (Photo: Gage Skidmore Flickr)

Kirk, 31, was speaking at a debate at Utah Valley University when a shooter fired a single round from a rooftop.

Video footage showed him reaching up with his right hand as blood gushed from the left side of his neck. Sarah Shamim also reported that Kirk was widely credited with galvanizing support for the Republican Party and Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement among American youth.

The conservative media figure grew up in the Chicago area and briefly attended a community college before dropping out to pursue political activism. He has faced criticism for promoting racist, Islamophobic, and misogynistic views.

Robert Bohls of the FBI said agents have obtained images of the suspected shooter and recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle believed to have been used in the attack.