Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Update Sept. 11, 2025:
The New York Post reports this .30-06 Mauser bolt-action rifle was recovered by investigators after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. According to their sources, the rifle was found in a wooded area near the scene. pic.twitter.com/zCA5TlbF4Q
— USA Carry (@USACarry) September 11, 2025
We are asking for the public's help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) September 11, 2025
1-800-CALL-FBI
Digital media tips: https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc
Update Sept. 10, 2025:
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his… pic.twitter.com/aM8Pz3TKml
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 10, 2025
TO MY GREAT FELLOW AMERICANS… pic.twitter.com/oRsrE5TTHr
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2025
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while speaking at an event on Utah Valley University’s campus.
The incident took place around 12:10 p.m. local time during Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour,” per AP News and CBS News.
What Happened
Kirk was speaking under a tent when a single gunshot was fired.
In social video clips, Kirk can be seen recoiling and clutching his neck as blood appeared—prompting chaos among the crowd. The university confirmed the shooter is in custody.
Response & Investigation
Authorities, including the FBI, are investigating the shooting. University police first issued a shelter-in-place alert to protect attendees. (EW)
Who Is Charlie Kirk?
Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA in 2012. His events often feature a “Prove Me Wrong” setup meant to spark on-campus political debate among students.
Charlie Kirk: The Best Gun Debate in Years?
National Political Fallout
This is what they hate… pic.twitter.com/0ubcEa9pFj
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) September 10, 2025
Reactions came swiftly from across the political spectrum:
- President Trump on Truth Social: “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk… A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” (Axios)
- VP J.D. Vance on X: “Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father.”
- FBI Director Kash Patel: “We are closely monitoring reports… Agents will be on the scene quickly.” (Reuters)
- Utah Governor Spencer Cox condemned the violence and promised accountability. (KUTV/KGAN)
Pray for healing and a miracle. Getting word that #charliekirk has been stabilized. I pray it is true. If it is THAT IS A SECOND MIRACLE. 1. Trump. 2. Kirk. The hospital is taking blood now. Our God is a God of Miracles. In Jesus name.
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) September 10, 2025
Why It Matters
This is a tragic event.
It underscores the fragility of political safety in higher education and has renewed national debate about political violence and public security.
Thoughts and prayers for Charlie Kirk and his family. Stay tuned as this is a developing story.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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I admit that I have not closely watched the available videos at this point, still very upset to view those images. I have seen a home security video that is reported to be Robinson walking with restricted movement on a street near by the campus. I am willing to believe that he could be carrying underneath his garments a concealed rifle that was later found in the woods, which I understand was several miles away from the campus. I still want to see someone with a similar build prove that all this could be replicated.
Maybe he did jump off the roof with the rifle and scampered off with the “high powered” weapon that was supposedly wrapped in a towel while vehicles passed by with nobody taking notice. Not sure what the other home security video of him supposedly walking along a different street without restricted movement wearing different clothes could mean. Not sure where the Dodge Challenger was parked.
Not sure what it means while he is photographed in a building walking around a building without any apparent restrictions suspicious printing from a concealed item in his skinny jeans. Maybe he pulled the rifle out of his clothes and hid it in a nonbinary washroom stall. Not sure what it means where Robinson seems to be ascending some stairs while part of someone other person’s arm and t-shirt sleeve was also captured in the photo above. Looks to me like that scope and stock in the above photo would not be quick to break down. Those are just silly questions that will be explained as the case unfolds, just as the Crooks’ case was thoroughly explained.
What bothers me right now is how another unremarkable person has, supposedly all by himself, found a weak seam that another professional security team has overlooked. Robinson lived 5 hours away and is reported to have formulated his plan to kill Charlie Kirk by looking at campus maps, really? Was Robinson just gambling on the location of where the guest speaker’s tent be set up? How could Robison know that he would have an unrestricted view of his target from that roof 175 yards away? Oh, the maps. Was Robinson just gambling that there would be no security or any other groups of attendees set up on the roof? Was Robinson just gambling that he could find a roof with access that he could somehow negotiate? Hard for me to believe that Robinson could do this without either attending several Charlie Kirk events and also conducting a near military level intelligence (S2) with several reconnaissance visits and a fairly competent level of planning (S3). This is another fish story.
Take away all firearm protection (Secret Service & police) from all Congress, House, governors, etc. who introduce, vote for anti gun legislation!
Make a mandatory test with a passing grade of 90% on the U.S. Constitution especially the 2nd Amendment before being eligible to be sworn into office. Make it mandatory to be on a lie detector machine while taking the oath of office.
I’m a little confused as to how this rifle (which doesn’t appear to be collapsible is NOT seen in any video of the shooter exiting the hide sight or climbing and jumping off the building. Not good for the prosecution if they have the person seen in these videos in custody.
Yes, that troubles me also. There always seems to be dots that are hard to connect but somehow turn into question marks.. Kind of like Oswald and the curtain rods, or LHO’s jacket being found in the TSBD after one was first found in a parking lot of a grocery store near the Tippet shooting. Or the reports of a Mauser first being found by three Deputy Sherrif’s on the 6th floor that turned into a Carcano.
Kind of looked like John Wilkes Booth jumping down from the balcony during the play of “Our American Cousin” and all the question after the Crooks assassination attempt does leave me with questions. The rifle was reported to have been found in a nearby woods, maybe more details and perhaps clarifications should be shared with the US.
Where were the campus police? Why were no drones sweeping the roof tops? Hard questions have to be asked, and solid answers must be forth coming.
who showed the gun? i was trying to look yesterday and couldn’t find a thing….
I’ll give my personal opinion and speculation. They apparently found a screw driver on the roof, somewhere. He was wearing a back-pack as he stiff-leggily limped down the road on the way to the shooting as seen in the video, but was running when he left and had the rifle wrap in that garment. The limp was gone, even after he jumped 10 feet off the roof.
I believe he had a QD mount on that scope, removed it, along with the stock, stored it in that back-pack, then reassembled it when he got on the roof. Hence the screw driver left behind. He probably even removed the bolt so it didn’t print. Then all he would have to do is stick the barrel and receiver down his pant leg, muzzle down into his shoe, and hobble along.
As far as sighting it in after reinstalling the scope, I believe that’s the reason he missed his head and hit him in the neck. He wasn’t aiming for his neck, he was probably aiming for his head for maximum effect, broadcast live on national TV for all the left-wing loonies to see and celebrate. Can you imagine if he got hit in the head with a 30.06 on live TV? Read some of the eye witness accounts of German soldiers getting shot in the head with a M1 Garand during WWII, and those were FMJ’s. Imagine a hollow point, if that’s what he used. They say they found the projectile, but they haven’t stated what it is.
About 40 years ago I flew on a deer hunting trip and my rifle had a QD mount so all I needed to do was to tighten two thump screws to reinstall. In theory it should have still been sighted in, but it was off only a couple inches at a 100 yds. A minor scope adjustment after test firing and I was back in business. But even if I didn’t re-zero it I probably still would have been in a white-tail kill zone in 200 yards. AND he was shooting down hill.
As far as afterwards, you can tell whatever is wrapped in that garment is clearly stiff and long enough to be that rifle.
Make sense? Like I said – pure speculation, but I believe it’s plausible!
Charlie demonstrated that civil political debate IS possible!
Charlie constantly demonstrated respect and consideration of the other side during debates. Charlie listened to what everyone had to say. He promoted civil discourse and did so in a positive way. His voice was silenced today . . because, he was so very effective.
Charlie was clearly an ardent fundamentalist Christian and believer in Jesus Christ. He shared his faith openly and honestly, I think THAT put him in the crosshairs of pure evil.
We have seen liberal policy in action in blue havens like Charlotte and Chicago. Liberal policy has failed us. That young woman in Charlotte was slain because of it. All the hate is coming from the left, REAL hate. Look, saying “hey, I think you are wrong and here is why” is NOT hate. The vitriol we saw from the genderbender pretenders in Nashville and Minneapolis who MURDERED innocent people IS the epitome of evil. It is ALL coming from the left. The stench is in their tent.
The left is well grounded in the spirit of disobedience and rebellion, the very basis of sin. What we saw happen to Charlie though is EVIL. It wars against us and we must stand against it.
The president just announced on Fox they caught the bastard …
i admit i really didn’t know who is was but he sounded like a hell of a guy…..rip!
as of yet another suspect released….
so is this an assassination or domestic terrorism by left supremacists? and of course the left cry about threats against them but conservatives are the ones getting attacked!
He would have been a great voice for America for 30 or 40 more years. Probably would have become POTUS.
As of 3pm PST, no shooter in custody. Video of person being detained wasn’t shooter.
Update from FBI they have a suspect in custody now.
6pm pst – suspect previously in custody released. Shooter believed to still be at large.
It’s been confirmed that Charlie Kirk has died. We have lost another Great American at the hands of an assassin. I always felt optimistic listening to his brilliant words, I remember feeling so glad he was fighting for traditional American values, and he was so young and had much knowledge to share. He was NOT forsaking the culture of the college campuses to the left; he was fighting with total class for all of America. He would often say that fostering dialog to prevent a civil war. I do NOT believe there was a more powerful voice in America, this loss cannot fully be measured. There is no “silver lining.” God Bless Charlie Kirk and his awesome family.