American conservative activist, who was shot before debating the issue of guns, had previously advocated that "some people being killed by guns is worth it."

【Text by Observer Net, Xiong Chaoran】On September 10 local time, American right-wing conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while giving a speech at a university in Utah. President Trump has ordered the lowering of the national flag to half-mast in mourning, which shows how close Kirk was to Trump during his lifetime.

Reuters, ABC, and CBS later cited eyewitness accounts, stating that in his last few minutes, Kirk was discussing gun violence with an audience member during the Q&A session at Utah Valley University, and then was shot in the neck and died.

Kirk's death had a somewhat ironic twist. According to media reports, even seconds before being shot, he still scoffed at mass shootings. Additionally, people have dug up his previous statements, discovering that he has long advocated for maintaining gun rights and tolerating gun violence—“It is worth it for some people to be killed by guns each year, so we can have the Second Amendment,” “Guns save lives”...

These are statements Kirk once made, and now he became a victim of a shooting.

According to the latest report by CNN, in addition to posting on social media, Trump also recorded a video in the Oval Office at the White House later that day, delivering a speech expressing his "sorrow and anger" over Kirk's murder.

"Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered on a university campus in Utah, and I am deeply saddened and angry. Charlie inspired millions, and everyone who knew and admired him is shocked and terrified tonight," in this four-minute speech, Trump emphasized his close relationship with Kirk, calling him a close political ally and personal friend of the Trump family, and linked Kirk's death to his own attempted assassination last year.

"This is a dark moment for America." Trump said, referring to Kirk as a "martyr for truth and freedom," and vowed to take further action, revealing a broader plan to combat political violence.

Kirk (left) posted a photo of himself holding a gun on his social media X platform

Life's final seconds, discussing guns

According to video images circulating on social media, 31-year-old Kirk was giving a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, USA, on the day. At around 12:20 p.m., a gunshot suddenly rang out. Then, Kirk put his hand to his neck and fell from his chair, causing the crowd to panic and flee. Another video showed that after the gunshot, blood immediately spurted from Kirk's neck.

Reuters emphasized that the authenticity of these videos has not been confirmed. The local government stated that the suspect may have fired from the roof, and there were about 3,000 people gathered at the scene.

The speech event that Kirk participated in that day was the first stop of his 15 "American Revival Tour" across U.S. colleges, where he often invited attendees to debate live. Multiple online videos show that a few seconds before being shot, a member of the audience was asking Kirk questions about gun violence.

"Do you know how many mass shootings have occurred in the United States in the past 10 years?" the audience member asked. Kirk replied, "Are gang violence incidents counted or not?" A few seconds later, he was shot.

On September 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah, USA, a video screenshot shows right-wing youth activist and influencer Charlie Kirk speaking at a public event at Utah Valley University. Several minutes later, he was shot. Visual China

"I was right in front," said Raydon DeChene, an eyewitness, telling CBS, "It's quite ironic," Kirk was talking about gun control issues before being shot. Other witnesses also told CBS-affiliated news station KUTV that Kirk was shot while answering questions about gun violence.

"There was blood everywhere, his eyes were rolling back," DeChene recalled: "At that time, I looked up because it sounded like it came from the hill behind me. Bang, we all dropped to the ground, then they told us to run, so we all ran out."

"Guns save lives, killing people is worth it"

As early as September 2018, Kirk had posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Guns save lives." He mentioned that a man tried to carry out a mass shooting at a horse racing track in California, and two police officers shot the attacker, thereby controlling the situation and saving countless lives. "I believe the media will soon forget this incident. Why don't we send armed guards to protect our schools?"

In April 2023, the media outlet Newsweek reported that Kirk had stated at an event that sacrificing gun deaths to retain the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is part of the reality in America.

Kirk's Twitter screenshot X platform

"In a society where citizens are armed, you cannot achieve zero gun deaths. That's nonsense, complete nonsense, but I think—worth it."

"I believe that it's worth it to have some gun deaths every year to ensure that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. It's a prudent 'deal' and reasonable." Kirk added: "Having 'armed citizens' has a cost, and that's part of 'freedom.'"

Newsweek noted that just a week before Kirk made these remarks, a tragic event occurred at the Nashville Christian Covenant School in Tennessee, where three children and three adults were shot dead.

America's gun proliferation, yet Trump is the most supportive

Reuters pointed out that the United States is experiencing the most sustained period of political violence since the 1970s. Since January 6, 2021, when Trump supporters violently stormed the Capitol, Reuters has recorded more than 300 politically motivated violent incidents.

In July 2024, Trump was grazed by a bullet in a campaign event in Butler County, Pennsylvania, nearly getting shot in the head. Two months later, another assassination attempt on Trump was thwarted by federal agents.

July 13, 2024, Trump was shot during a campaign event in Pennsylvania. CNN

As the country with the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in the world, the total number of firearms in circulation in the United States is estimated to be as high as 390 million, equivalent to 120.5 guns per 100 people. USA Today stated that ironically, Trump is precisely the most supportive of the gun-owning group, receiving support from the largest gun organization in the United States.

At the age of 18, Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA with others, an organization dedicated to promoting conservatism on college campuses and among young voters. It is the largest conservative youth organization in the country and played a key role in mobilizing young voters to support Trump. In 2019, Kirk founded Turning Point Action, another non-profit advocacy organization supporting conservative candidates.

Turning Point Action frequently holds large gatherings with conservative speakers, including Trump. Kirk is considered a representative of Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement and supports Trump's claim that he lost the 2020 presidential election due to election fraud.

Trump and Kirk Photo

After winning a second term, Trump attributed the support of young people and minorities to Kirk's mobilization. Trump often praised Kirk, believing that it was him who won him more young voters and minority voters, ensuring his victory in the 2024 presidential election.

Kirk has 5.3 million followers on the X platform and hosts the popular podcast and radio program "The Charlie Kirk Show," which has over 500,000 monthly listeners. Recently, he also co-hosted the Fox News morning program "Fox & Friends."

Reuters said that as a member of the pro-Trump conservative opinion leader ecosystem, Kirk, along with Jack Posobiec, Laura Loomer, and Candace Owens, amplified and expanded Trump's agenda. For a long time, Kirk has frequently criticized mainstream media and taken "opposing positions" on cultural issues such as race, gender, and immigration.

Oklahoma Republican Senator Markywane Mullin, a close friend of Kirk, said, "It's too heartbreaking, because it's too absurd."

He told CNN, "We are all responsible, Republicans, Democrats, left and right-wing media. I hope that regardless of the rhetoric from the left and right, we can readjust and get out of this situation."

Perpetrator "still at large"

According to CNN's report on September 10 local time, the suspect is still at large, with conflicting information from various parties. Utah Governor Spencer Cox initially stated at a press conference that a "relevant person" had been detained, and FBI Director Kash Patel also tweeted on social media that "the suspect in this shocking shooting" had been detained, but this person was released after interrogation. Utah Department of Public Safety Director Beau Mason stated that the suspect "is still at large."

Cox later said that law enforcement was questioning another involved individual, who was not the same person as the one previously detained and released. The FBI announced on its official X platform account that it had established a digital tip line to provide information about Kirk's shooting.

Later, the Utah Department of Public Safety issued another statement saying that two suspects arrested by the police had been released, as they "currently have no connection to the shooting," but the authorities did not explain why these two individuals were considered suspects. The statement said, "The shooter is currently under investigation and being pursued."

According to reports, White House staff, including many young people who idolized Kirk, turned pale upon hearing the news of the shooting. CNN reported that a prayer vigil would be held in Washington D.C. that night to commemorate Kirk's passing.

For this shooting incident, American political figures from both parties expressed shock. Vice President Vance, who is also closely related to Kirk, posted on X: "Lord, grant him eternal rest." Before confirming the news of Kirk's death, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X: "The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, despicable, and condemnable. In the United States of America, we must reject all forms of political violence."

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer Net. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7548673679475999268/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author and readers are welcome to express their opinions using the [Up/Down] buttons below.