(UPDATE, 3:29pm) Elected officials in Montana are mourning the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who died after being shot on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, while speaking at a Utah college campus.
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Kirk’s "American Comeback Tour" was scheduled to include another nine stops at universities across the country over the next month, including Montana State University in Bozeman on October 7th.
Kirk had visited the Treasure State several times, most recently at a rally to support Tim Sheehy’s U.S. Senate campaign on the University of Montana campus in Missoula.
On Wednesday, Montana's four members of Congress and Governor Greg Gianforte expressed their sorrow on social media and shared memories of Kirk, who founded the conservative action group Turning Point USA.
Sen. Steve Daines: "Absolutely devastating news. Charlie Kirk was a friend, a loving husband, a father and fearless leader who inspired the next generation. Cindy and I grieve with his family in this profound loss."
Sen. Tim Sheehy: "This is heartbreaking news. Charlie was a good man and a patriot who fought tirelessly to make our country better. The impact of his work on behalf of the conservative movement and to encourage young people to engage in our politics will be felt for generations to come. Please join our family in praying for his wife, his children, and all those he inspired across the nation and around the world."
Rep. Troy Downing: "Charlie Kirk made it his life’s mission to wade fearlessly into the often-hostile arena of political discourse. He was an unapologetic defender of this country and conservative values but always extended his microphone to hear the other side. If ever there was a time to honor his legacy and reject the atrocity of political violence once and for all, that time is now. Charlie was a man of strong faith, and I take comfort in the fact that he is with his Creator. As we look to process the weight of today’s tragedy, let us remember and hold close in our hearts Charlie’s young family and lift them up in prayer. God bless Charlie Kirk. God bless America."
Rep. Ryan Zinke: "Our entire nation should mourn the loss of a dedicated father, husband and tireless defender of our first amendment rights. Charlie Kirk practiced his right to free speech and peaceful assembly and believed everyone, regardless of their religion or politics, had the same rights. Our nation is deeply divided and suffering from an epidemic of political mental sickness. It breaks my heart as a Navy officer who dedicated my life to defending my fellow Americans. I hope you will join me and Lola in our prayers for Charlie and our nation."
Gov. Greg Gianforte:"Susan and I join the nation in mourning the loss of Charlie Kirk. I’ve known Charlie since he was a teenager. He dedicated his life to supporting the next generation of leaders and getting young people involved in government. Political violence has no place in America. Please keep his wife and their young children in your prayers."
(UPDATE, 2:44 pm) President Donald Trump posted the following message on TruthSocial:
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 beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!
Kirk was shot Wednesday afternoon while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Kirk was taken to a hospital in critical condition immediately after the shooting, and died of his injuries just hours later.
Mayor David Young of Orem, Utah, said the shooter was still at large as of Wednesday afternoon. Authorities are continuing to search for the suspect. The city's residents are not under shelter in place orders while the search goes on.
Police initially announced they had apprehended one person at the scene of the shooting, who was later determined not to be the suspect.
Other details about the suspected shooter or any of their motivations are not yet clear.
We will update you as we get more information.
(1st REPORT, 1:03 pm) Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Wednesday, according to school officials.
According to an emergency alert issued by the school, the incident involved a single gunshot. A suspect is in custody and police say they are investigating the shooting.
“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Kirk's organization Turning Point USA.
School officials told Scripps News Salt Lake City gunshots were fired from the top of a building on campus approximately 200 yards from where Kirk was speaking from under a tent.
The shooting occurred about 20 minutes after Kirk began speaking, at roughly 12:10 local time. Kirk "was hit and taken from the location by his security," Utah Valley University said in a statement.
Videos posted on social media and reviewed by the Associated Press show the moment of the shooting in the Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus. A single shot is heard, and Kirk can be seen reaching for his bleeding neck.
Details about Kirk's condition were not immediately available.
Former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz told Fox News Wednesday Kirk was answering a question about transgender mass shooters when the shooting occurred.
Details about the suspected shooter or any of their motivations are not yet clear.
Kirk is the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a youth organization founded to advance conservative politics on American college and high school campuses.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for prayers for Kirk.
"A great guy from top to bottom," President Trump wrote. "GOD BLESS HIM!"
Utah's Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said he had been briefed on the shooting and said "those responsible will be held fully accountable."
Utah Valley University is in Orem, Utah, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. It is the largest public university in the state, with nearly 47,000 students.
Kirk, 31, often engages in spirited and sometimes testy debates with people from different sides of the political aisle. Kirk was recently invited as one of the first guests on California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's podcast, with the two discussing a wide range of political topics and their different views on the direction of the country.
Kirk was also front-and-center at the inauguration of President Donald Trump earlier this year and has frequently appeared alongside Republican politicians at rallies and fundraising events.
His stop Wednesday at Utah Valley University was part of his "The American Comeback Tour," where he engages students through political debates under tents branded with phrases like "Prove Me Wrong." Kirk's events have attracted hundreds of attendees while his social media videos of interactions with participants have garnered tens of millions of views online.
The events, however, have been both widely attended and widely protested by people who disagree with his takes on hot-button issues like abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration and the Black Lives Matter movement. Prior to Wednesday's shooting, Kirk was scheduled to host another event at Colorado State University next week.
