The Turning Point USA founder was appearing on campus as part of his American Comeback Tour when shots were fired
Utah Valley University contradicted earlier assertions that a suspect was in custody in connection with the shooting of Charlie Kirk, saying no one has been apprehended.
According to CNN, the incident occurred while Kirk, 31, was on campus as part of his “American Comeback Tour.”
Video circulating online shows attendees fleeing in panic, shouting ‘Run, run, run!” as shots were fired. Kirk had been engaging students under a white pop-up tent at his “Prove Me Wrong” table as part of his American Comeback Tour.
UVU initially issued a statement stating “a single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker” and that a suspect is in custody. But in a later statement, the school said, “The suspect is not in custody. Police are still investigating. Campus is closed for the rest of the day.”
According to AP, Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and currently serves as its CEO, leading the conservative youth organization’s efforts nationwide. Per the Financial Times, Turning Point Action (TPA), the affiliated campaign arm, has been instrumental in rallying youth support for President Trump and the Republican Party .
He briefly attended Harper College but dropped out to focus on political activism, launching TPUSA using his high school graduation money with the encouragement of mentor Bill Montgomery . Per The Atlantic, he founded TPUSA in 2012 with a mission to “fortify a small but stable conservative youth movement.”
As reported by AP, since its founding, TPUSA has raised hundreds of millions of dollars; by 2022 it had generated significant revenue and Kirk’s compensation had grown accordingly . The organization is widely known for high-profile campus initiatives like the Professor Watchlist and campaigns to mobilize young conservatives .
Kirk also hosts a daily talk program, The Charlie Kirk Show, and launched a TV show, Charlie Kirk Today, in 2025, per media reports .