'Heinous Attack': FL Reacts After Conservative Activist Charlie Kirk Fatally Shot

Updated at 4:50 p.m.

Influential Republican activist and President Trump supporter Charlie Kirk, CEO of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday at a college event in Utah, The Associated Press reported.

The AP said that President Trump announced Kirk, 31, had died. As a mark of respect, Trump has ordered all flags to fly at half-staff in memory of Kirk until sunset on Sunday, September 14. (Read President Trump's Proclamation)

The incident occurred during a Q&A session at Utah Valley University in Orem. Videos circulating online appear to show Kirk recoiling after a shot was heard, with blood pouring from his neck. He was discussing gang violence just before the shooting in the videos.

Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA, an American nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school, college, and university campuses, according to the company.

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• Conservative Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead In Utah
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The person who shot and killed Kirk on Wednesday in Utah was in custody, FBI Director Kash Patel said around 4:30 p.m. local time. But about two hours later Patel walked back that statement.

The FBI has released the person of interest after an interrogation by law enforcement, Patel said in a post on X. "Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had been briefed on the shooting in Utah. "Casey and I are praying for Charlie Kirk and his family."

Videos posted to social media show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone at the university's Sorensen Center courtyard, sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans, “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.”

A single shot rings out and Kirk reaches up with his hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream. Some run away.

Kirk was known for tours of college campuses, where he offers open microphones for people to debate him.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa wrote on X: "Political violence has no place in the United States. These senseless attacks are wrong, no matter your political party. I am thinking of Charlie Kirk and his family during this time."

READ MORE: Conservative Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead In Utah

Sen. Rick Scott posted on social media: "Ann and I are horrified to hear our good friend, @charliekirk11, was shot at Utah Valley University. Charlie is a patriot who loves his country. I ask every American to join me in praying for him, his family, and every student gathered there."

"This is nothing short of horrific," Rep. Maxwell Frost said on X. "Charlie Kirk, UVU students, and every single person deserves to be safe from gun violence no matter where they are in our country or what their political beliefs are."

My office is monitoring the situation at Utah Valley University. I pray for Charlie Kirk, the students, and this nation.
— Senator Ashley Moody (@SenAshleyMoody) September 10, 2025

Rep. Byron Donalds posted on X that Kirk "is an American Patriot. He did not deserve this heinous act. NOBODY DOES. Pray for Charlie."

The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum.

The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization. The event had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”

Days earlier, Kirk posted on X about the backlash, sharing screenshots of local news coverage of his Utah campus tour with the caption: “What’s going on in Utah?”

Kirk’s zeal for confronting liberals in academia eventually won over an influential set of conservative financiers.

Despite early misgivings, Turning Point enthusiastically backed Trump after he clinched the GOP nomination in 2016. Kirk served as a personal aide to Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, during the general election campaign.

Soon, Kirk was a regular presence on cable TV, where he leaned into the culture wars and heaped praise on the then-president. Trump and his son were equally effusive and often spoke at Turning Point conferences.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.