Charlie Kirk, a popular right-wing commentator who co-founded the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA, was shot dead on Wednesday at a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
US President Donald Trump described the killing as a “dark moment for America” and said Mr Kirk, 31, was a “martyr for truth and freedom”.
“For years those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals,” Mr Trump said in a video posted on Truth Social.
“This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today.”
Mr Trump issued a presidential proclamation ordering flags to fly at half-mast until Sunday “as a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk”.
Bystanders told the Deseret News that Mr Kirk was shot during a question session with students. Videos posted online showed people running away. One video showed Mr Kirk being shot, with blood pouring down his neck as he sat under a tent with the slogans “Prove Me Wrong” and “The American Comeback” written on it.
A representative for the university told The New York Times that Mr Kirk had been shot by a gunman from a building about 180 metres away.
There was confusion over the manhunt, with FBI director Kash Patel initially writing on social media that the “subject” had been detained, before taking it back an hour later.
No one was in custody overnight as authorities sought a new person of interest in the assassination, the Utah Department of Public Safety said.
Vice President JD Vance described Mr Kirk as a “genuinely good guy and a young father”.
Mr Kirk was a strong advocate for the Trump administration, rallying donors and voters, especially younger men, during Mr Trump's election campaign last year.
His killing is the latest in a wave of political violence that has swept America in recent years. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state legislator and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas releases hostages in Gaza, and a fire at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April.
Mr Trump was also the target of an assassination attempt on the campaign trail in July last year. The attack killed a person who was attending the rally and injured Mr Trump and two others.
California Governor Gavin Newsom described the attack on Mr Kirk, who was well known for his podcast and university campus debates, as “vile and reprehensible”.
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
