Right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk has died after being shot while speaking to a large crowd on a university campus in Utah.

He was speaking to students about mass shootings on Wednesday when he was shot in the neck, leading students to flee and triggering a manhunt for the killer.

The 31-year-old Trump faithful was used to scores of people listening to him, both in person and online, as he advocated for conservatism among younger generations and became a leading voice in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

“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,” the president wrote on Truth Social after his death.

But who was Charlie Kirk, what were his views and how did he become so influential?

From high school protests to the president’s ally

Despite being younger than many of his contemporaries, Mr Kirk, born in Chicago in 1993, had been a staple of the right for some time.

His first taste of activism came when he and a classmate launched a protest against the rising price of food at his high school cafeteria. Soon after, as a high school senior, he wrote an opinion piece for the conservative news site Breitbart, in which he discussed liberalism in textbooks.

It catapulted him into politics, helping him get appearances on Fox News and at right-wing rallies, where he soon met activist Bill Montgomery.

Live updates on manhunt for Kirk’s killer

They co-founded Turning Point USA, a non-profit aimed at mobilising college-age Republicans, when Mr Kirk was just 18, in 2012.

Turning Point would soon attach itself to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016, and went on to become a hugely successful entity, raising hundreds of millions of dollars as it helped build a coalition of young conservatives around the country.

The group’s website says it has 450 members of staff and presences in 3,000 high schools and college campuses.

While the organisation thrived, Mr Kirk became the young face of the MAGA movement on social media platforms, pushing Mr Trump’s big points, including his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen.

A day before the January 6th riots in 2021, he wrote on X that he was organising for “buses of patriots” to Washington to “fight for the president”.

At the time of his death, father-of-two Mr Kirk had become one of the biggest online voices on the American right, with 7.3 million followers on TikTok, 7 million on Instagram, 5 million on X and 3.5 million on YouTube.

His podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, is downloaded between 500,000 and 750,000 times each day, according to NBC News, and consistently charts highly on Spotify and Apple.

His influence was not lost on Mr Trump.

He often spoke favourably about Mr Kirk, including multiple times on the campaign trail last year.

During a rally in Washington, the day before he was sworn in for a second term in January, Mr Trump told attendees: “Charlie Kirk is here. And I want to thank Charlie. Charlie is fantastic. I mean, this guy.”

He also appeared last October at a Turning Point USA political rally in Phoenix, saying: “I want to express my tremendous gratitude to Charlie Kirk. He’s really an amazing guy. Amazing guy.”

Kirk shot while holding debate on mass shootings

He was fierce in his right-wing views and a strong communicator, making him a polarising figure.

Critics accused him of promoting falsehoods and conspiracy theories on issues including COVID-19, climate change and the 2020 US election.

Yet Mr Kirk, however firm his beliefs, was always keen to hear opinions he disagreed with, often setting up “prove me wrong” tables at university events where people were encouraged to challenge his views.

He would regularly debate left-wing students on contentious topics like gun control, free speech LGBTQ+ rights and abortion rights.

It was during one of his “prove me wrong” segments at Utah Valley University – this one centred on mass shootings – that he was shot.

His friend Hogan Gidley, who was deputy press secretary for Mr Trump between 2019 and 2020, says what Mr Kirk did for MAGA and for conservatism is “unparalleled”.

“At the same time, what he did to try to showcase the importance of discussion, just getting out there and saying your ideas, that’s what’s unbelievable,” he adds, speaking to Sky’s Trump 100 podcast.

“He kind of paved the way for so many in the younger generation to say, you don’t have to be violent, you can use your words, you can use information, you can use data… he was a pioneer in that way.”

Mr Kirk’s own death was entirely against what he stood for, Mr Gidley says.

“He changed some hearts, he changed some minds – he made people angry,” he says. “But that’s OK, because that’s part of discussion and honest debate.

“What this devolved into… was something that was violent and that was disgusting and deplorable. It has no place in American politics, but debate and discussion absolutely do and Charlie Kirk led that way.”

Trump ‘filled with grief and anger’

Friends, admirers and those on the other side of politics have been paying tribute to Mr Kirk.

Among them has been the president, who hailed him as a “great, and even legendary” figure who was “loved and admired by all, especially me”.

In a video message, he said: “I am filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk.

“He inspired millions and tonight all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror.

“This is a dark moment for America,” Mr Trump added, as he vowed a crackdown on “political violence”.

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Tributes have also come from former liberal presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

“This kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy,” Mr Obama said. “Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.”

What is happening now?

A manhunt is under way for Mr Kirk’s killer, which began on the university campus but has now extended beyond.

Two people were arrested after the shooting, but neither was determined to have any connection with the shooting and were later released, according to Utah public safety officials.

As of late on Wednesday, no one was in custody, but the authorities are searching for a new person of interest.

“This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” said Utah governor Spencer Cox. “I want to be very clear, this is a political assassination.”

The suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk has been confirmed as a male who “appears to be of college age”, authorities have said, as a manhunt continues. 

In a briefing in Orem, Utah, on Thursday, FBI agent Robert Bohls said while authorities are not sure where or how far the suspect may have gone, they have pictures of his face which they may release in the future.

Kirk, a right-wing influencer, was shot dead on Wednesday while hosting a debate among university students. He died in hospital after being shot, authorities said.

Follow the latest updates on Charlie Kirk’s killing

Beau Mason, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, said the suspect “appears to be of college age” and “blended in well with a college institution”.

“We are confident in our abilities to track that individual,” he added.

“If we’re unsuccessful in identifying them immediately, we will reach out for the public’s help and the media’s help in pushing those photos.”

Mr Mason reiterated “we are doing everything we can to find him”, but added: “We’re not sure how far he has gone yet”.

The weapon suspected of being used in the shooting has been found.

Mr Bohls said: “I can tell you that we have recovered what we believe is the weapon that was used in yesterday’s shooting… is a high-powered bolt action rifle.

“That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled. The FBI laboratory will be analysing this weapon.”

Mr Bohls added that they also found an “impression of a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis”.

Read more:
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Moment gunshot heard at Utah Valley University event – Watch

Kirk, a Trump faithful, was used to scores of people listening to him, both in person and online, as he advocated for conservatism among younger generations and became a leading voice in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

President Donald Trump paid tribute to Kirk while on stage at a 9/11 memorial event in Virginia, saying he would be awarding him the presidential medal of freedom.

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“Before we begin, let me express the horror and grief so many Americans at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk have felt,” Mr Trump said.

“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife, Erika, and his beautiful children.”

The president said “we miss him greatly” and added that he has no doubt his voice and “the courage he put into the hearts of countless people will live on”.

For many young people on the right of American politics, Charlie Kirk was an icon.

He was 31-years-old, a media personality, podcaster, an author and the founder of Turning Point USA.

The non-profit organisation champions conservative politics in schools, colleges and university campuses. It has been described as one of the fastest-growing organisations of its types in America.

Read more: Powerful right-wing influencer and Trump ally shot dead

He had a huge following with his podcast consistently charting in the top 20.

According to NBC News, The Charlie Kirk Show is being downloaded between 500,000 and 750,000 times each day. It consistently charts highly on Spotify and Apple.

Across social media, he had a huge following with more than 7.3 million followers on TikTok, seven million on Instagram, five million on X and 3.5 million on YouTube.

A popular political activist, he spent much of his time travelling to college campuses across the country, encouraging debate and promoting conservative values.

A big supporter of President Trump and somewhat of a MAGA spokesman to young people across America, he publicly promoted conservative, Trump-aligned causes and often debated with people opposed to his views.

Born in Chicago in 1993, he was attracted to politics early, volunteering for the US Senate campaign of Illinois Republican Mark Kirk (no relation) during his high school years.

He was accused by critics of promoting falsehoods and conspiracy theories on issues including COVID-19, climate change and the 2020 US election.

Responding to the January 6th 2021 riots on Capitol Hill, he said it was not an insurrection but that the rioters did not represent the mainstream of Mr Trump’s support.

A day before the riots, in support of what he believed to be a stolen election, he wrote on X that he was organising for “buses of patriots” to Washington to “fight for the president”.

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Given his following among young people across America, this could be a moment of political jeopardy for the country.

Is this the spark which brings people together or drives the divide dangerously deeper?