Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and co-founder of the youth organization Turning Point USA, died after being shot at an event at Utah Valley University. The manhunt for the shooter is still ongoing.
Students were seen fleeing the scene after a gunshot was heard, but some stayed in the vicinity. One video shows an individual walking to the tent in which Kirk was shot and stealing hats.
Kirk was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University. Videos of the shooting spread far and wide on social media, where students were seen fleeing after the bullet hit Kirk in the neck.
The conservative political activist was taken by private car to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Charlie Kirk dead
Speaking with KUTV, Skyler Baird, who was at the scene watching Charlie Kirk speak, described the moment the activist was shot.
“I was only maybe 15 feet away from him, and I heard a pop, and I said in my mind ‘that was a gunshot,’” he said. “I pretty much knew immediately that he wasn’t going to make it.”
Baird added that even though there were security around Kirk, it felt very open.
“He was well guarded against someone running up with a knife or someone who was trying to fight him personally, but security in the general area, it was just a normal campus day.”
Before the meeting started, Kirk was handing out baseball hats to attendees. Phil Lyman, former Republican state representative in Utah, helped the conservative political activist in doing so.
He also became a witness to the horrifying event when Kirk was hit by a gunshot.
“I was on the stage with him when he started talking,” he told the BBC. “I left – I went to find some other people, so I wasn’t next to him when he was shot.
Person caught on video stealing hats after Charlie Kirk shooting
Lyman continue: “I don’t know if I am happy about that or if I wish I could have been there. 3,000 kids basically watched someone shot right in front of them – it was really traumatic.” [This is] a really pivotal point in America – he was probably the most influential person for young people, especially in the conservative movement.”
He continued: “There’s going to be some real repercussions here and what I hope happens is people understand what Charlie stood for – his Christian values, his love of family and freedom and that they don’t get scared away from that because I believe that’s what someone is trying to do is scare us away from those principles.”
What was supposed to be an event turned into a crime scene. A video shared on social media shortly after left people furious, as one individual was seen jumping over the perimeter to take some of the baseball caps that were still lying on a table next to where Kirk was shot.
The video was shared by user suxiequtie on TikTok, per Newsweek. One person took hats from the merchandise table after the fatal shooting. It was later reposted to X.
A person is heard off-camera saying, “Grab me a hat.” Shortly after, security intervened and removed them from the area.
Our thoughts and prayers goes out to Charlie Kirk’s family. Rest in peace.
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