Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at a Utah Valley University event on Sept. 10, sparking a massive nationwide manhunt.
Conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, during a student-sponsored outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, sparking a sweeping multi-agency federal and local investigation. Kirk, 31, was speaking to a campus gathering shortly after noon when a sniper positioned on the rooftop of a nearby building opened fire. He was rushed to a local hospital, where medical personnel pronounced him dead.
The high-profile shooting immediately plunged the university campus into chaos as students, attendees, and witnesses scrambled for shelter while law enforcement swarmed the area. Federal agencies, including the FBI, partnered with state and local police to secure the perimeter and initiate a fast-moving manhunt for the gunman, transforming the campus into an active crime scene.
Investigators quickly recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle from a nearby wooded area where the suspect was believed to have escaped. Crime scene technicians also gathered crucial forensic evidence from the sniper's rooftop vantage point, including footwear impressions, a palm print, and forearm impressions. The FBI subsequently appealed directly to the public for photos and videos, offering a reward of up to $100,000 for actionable information.