Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator, was shot during a live event at Utah Valley University (UVU) on Wednesday afternoon, prompting police to begin an urgent manhunt. Kirk started answering questions from the students when the incident happened, turning the meeting into a terrified and panicked scene.
Kirk, 31, was sitting on stage when he was shot once in the neck. Witnesses described the piercing sound of the gunshot, followed by cries and mayhem as people scrambled for cover. Emergency personnel and campus security swiftly stepped in, giving him medical attention before taking him to a nearby hospital.
Within minutes, footage of the incident, which showed Kirk slumping backward in his chair with blood visible, started making the rounds on the internet. Expressions of shock, indignation, and sorrow dominated the conversation on social media as a result of the upsetting video.
Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene, according to law enforcement. Since then, authorities have begun a massive manhunt and asked the public to be on guard while detectives follow up on leads.
To determine the suspect’s movements, officials are examining security footage from the campus and the surrounding areas. Interviews with witnesses are being conducted in an effort to establish a more precise chronology of the events that preceded the attack.
Both the university community and the larger political scene have been rocked by the shooting. Political leaders of all stripes have denounced the violence, emphasizing that assaults on public figures are an affront to the country’s democratic principles.
Calls for justice have grown louder as the investigation continues. Government representatives have underlined the importance of solidarity, calling on citizens to oppose political violence and assist law enforcement in their efforts to capture the gunman.
Updates are anticipated in the next few days as the search becomes more intense. The nation is still on edge as it waits for information regarding the attack’s motivation.