Conservative Activist Charlie Kirk Assassinated at Utah Valley University
The 31-year-old leaves behind a wife, two kids, and a massive legacy in the conservative movement
Getsmart Preview: How the most expensive coffee beans in the world are sourced
Newsbites
Breaking: FBI and Utah officials give an update on manhunt of Charlie Kirk assassin. (watch live)
Chart of the week: Pokémon trading cards have become a hot investment, outperforming top stocks and the SP500 by leaps and bounds.
Israel launched attacks in Qatar this week targeting Hamas officials. The son of Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’s top negotiator, was killed, as well as five other people. President Trump rebuked the attack, saying, “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals.” France, Saudi Arabia, the U.K., Turkey, and Egypt also condemned the Israeli action.
23-year-old woman stabbed on train: Yryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old refugee from Ukraine, was stabbed to death while sitting on a train returning from her work at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria in Charlotte, North Carolina. The attack came with no provocation or notice. She curled her knees and looked up in shock before falling to the ground 15 seconds later, dead. Zarutska emigrated to the U.S. in 2022 with her mother, brother, and sister amid the war in Ukraine. In the obituary published online, her Mother said she “quickly embraced her new life in the United States.” Her dream was to become a veterinary assistant.
More: The suspect, Decarlos Brown, had a lengthy history of criminal activity, including robbery, felony larceny, and breaking and entering. He was released from prison in 2020 after serving a 5-year term.
The suspected shooter of Charlie Kirk had ammunition engraved with “expressions of transgender and antifascist ideology.” The bullets were found inside a rifle believed to be used in the assassination of the influential conservative activist at Utah Valley University. Kirk was shot while in the middle of a debate with a student about mass shootings involving transgender individuals. (more in main story below)
A 16-year-old boy opened fire at Evergreen High School in Colorado, severely injuring two students. The shooter, Desmond Holly, died later that night in the hospital from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Authorities say he was “radicalized” by extreme views due to early access to his phone. It is unknown how he received a firearm.
The Prime Minister of Nepal resigned after massive Gen Z protests demanding that the government not restrict access to social media platforms. More than 50 people have died amid the protests amid clashes with government police. The government lifted the social media ban amid the pressure, and the youth are demanding a new interim government.
Influential Conservative Activist Charlie Kirk Shot and Killed at University Speech
What happened?
31-year-old conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University on Wednesday while speaking to college students. Kirk, one of the most influential voices on the right and a close confidant to President Trump and Vice President Vance, was shot in the neck and killed in the middle of a debate with a student.
While he had a pulse for several minutes, he died shortly after in the car on the way to the hospital.
Sara Tewell, a senior at Utah Valley University, stopped by the event in between her classes to watch Kirk and stood four rows from the stage. “It’s really traumatizing,” she told The Wall Street Journal. “I feel like I literally watched his soul leave his body.”
The alleged shooter was stationed on a rooftop of the University’s Losee Center, around 130 metres away, and a direct view of Kirk and a route to eventually escape. After the gunshot, thousands of students scattered around the campus, screaming and confused.
Listen to the dispatch call: "UVU reporting one individual that was shot, unknown where the shooter went."
Here is a full video (not showing the graphic shooting itself) from a livestream on YouTube.
President Trump, who ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-mast until Sunday evening, responded to the news saying, “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. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!” Trump also released an official Oval Office address to the nation, calling it a “dark moment for America.”
What do we know about the shooter?
As of this Friday morning, President Trump said, "I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody." He said the shooter's Father helped turn him in. Trump also said that he hopes the shooter will get the death penalty.
On Thursday, the FBI asked for help identifying the individual with a reward of $100,000. Ammo found on the roof where the assassin took his shot was engraved with “expressions of transgender and antifascist ideology,” according to investigators. The rifle believed to be used in the shooting was a Mauser bolt action .30-06 caliber rifle.
Kirk’s body was transferred back to Arizona via Air Force Two
President JD Vance, a close friend of Kirk, helped carry his casket aboard Air Force Two to bring him back to his home state of Arizona. Vance, who decided to skip the 9/11 memorial service to attend to Kirk’s family, will be present at the funeral. President Trump also plans to attend the funeral. (video)
Who Was Charlie Kirk and Why Was He so Influential?
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The News Memo to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.