Writers: Gracie Cormier, Andrew Courville
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), was fatally shot while visiting Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, to host a public debate on Sept. 10, 2025, for his American Comeback Tour.
Kirk was pronounced dead once he arrived at Timpanogos Regional Hospital. President Donald Trump announced his death via Truth Social at 2:40 p.m.. Trump’s announcement read, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead… He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.”
Videos of the event on social media show the shooting, Kirk collapsing, and the crowd ducking and running from the scene.
The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a Utah resident, has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child. He is being held without bond.
Robinson has been appointed a state attorney, and prosecutors have said they are seeking the death penalty. His next court appearance was set for Sept. 29.
Kirk’s wife, Erika, gave a public address two days after the shooting, thanking TPUSA employees, Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
A memorial was held for Kirk in Arizona on Sept. 21, where Erika Kirk announced that she would be taking over as the leader of TPUSA. She also stated that she forgave her husband’s killer. She condemned political violence, saying, “When you stop the conversation, when you stop the dialogue, this is what happens. When we lose the ability and the willingness to communicate, we get violence.” Trump praised Erika Kirk at the event and shared an optimistic view of her leadership in TPUSA. He shared that he believed he was different from Kirk in his feelings toward his opponents, saying,“I hate my opponent.” He continued, “And I don’t want the best for them.”
The TPUSA chapter at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette hosted a prayer vigil for Kirk in the Student Union Patio on Sept. 12. In a statement to The Vermilion, chapter president Louis Cohn said that, “As to the act of the assassination itself, the normalization of political violence is a dangerous precedent now set in American society.”
Cohn then explained that, as University College President, he wanted to pass a resolution through the Student Government Association (SGA) condemning all political violence, along with its glorification. Resolution No. 9, submitted by Cohn to SGA, did not pass.
Other political figures have swiftly condemned the violence. Spencer Cox, governor of Utah, asked that “Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act.” Former President Barack Obama said, “This kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy.”
A Sept. 12 YouGov poll shows that 77% of Americans believe political violence is unacceptable.
The Cato Institute reports that, although political violence is statistically a small portion of overall violent crime, since 2020, politically motivated terrorist attacks resulted in 79 victims tragically losing their lives.
Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel made statements joking about the assassination that led to his eventual preemption. After intense backlash from ABC affiliates and Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, ABC decided to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live indefinitely. ABC allowed him to return to air on Sept. 23, when he apologized for any distress he caused.
Dr. David Hughes, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with an expertise in American law and courts, commented on free speech and Kimmel. He pointed out that it is constitutionally sound for individuals privately employed to be fired or suspended for their speech.
He elaborated that, “It concerns me… that the quality of our public discourse could be diluted, that we might lose something in the process. I happen to be a pretty big fan of the idea that people can vigorously discuss ideas, disagree and still call it a day.”
Dr. William Davie, a communication professor at the University, with an expertise in law and ethics, asserted that “Charlie Kirk was a polarizing figure, and he intended to be. He wanted to debate.” According to Davie, “Our chief enemy is identity aversion bias and that is the desire to not be around people who think differently than we do, because we don’t want to try to understand their thoughts.”
Dr. Rick Swanson, a political science professor at the University, described in a statement the source of polarization in the U.S. that he claimed leads to these examples of political violence, “The polarization that comes from having only two major opposing political parties has been worsened by the rise of social media bubbles and news media bubbles.” Remarking on free speech, Swanson continued, “If you think it’s okay to kill someone because you don’t like what they say, or because of what they believe, or because of who they are, the logical endpoint of what you’re calling for is genocide. And when tens of millions of people are on each side, the logical endpoint of calling for political violence is mutual genocide.”
On the solution to political polarization, Swanson stated, “We can choose respectful disagreement and peace, or mutual hate and destruction. So instead of choosing the side of the left or the right, let us choose the side of humanity.”
Hughes summarized his view of the future in the political climate, saying, “I’m kind of just waiting to see what’s the final straw before we get a reorganization of the parties, because this level of polarization is not sustainable.”
Dr. Davie echoed that “To make America great again, we have to make America good again… I mean willing to accept others, ignoring our differences in order to find our commonalities and to unite as a people.”