On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. Kirk was shot in the neck at 12:23 p.m. by now identified 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson.
Kirk was immediately rushed to the hospital and was publicly announced to be in critical condition. At 2:40 p.m., President Donald Trump announced on Social Truth, his own media outlet, that Charlie Kirk had passed away.
Robinson had been seen on security tapes jumping off a roof and fleeing the scene. Two days later, on September 12, Robinson turned himself in at Washington County Sheriff's office with members of his family in attendance.
31-year-old contemporary right-wing activist Charlie Kirk became known among today’s youth from his informal college campus debates, shown on social media outlets, such as TikTok. Within these debates, he fought to support his views on abortion, gun laws, traditional gender roles, and more.
“I think he had very traditional and dare I say grotesque views that challenge basic human rights,” said sophomore Michael McGuire. Many, such as McGuire, believe that many of Kirk’s political views were quite controversial and disagree with many of his arguments.
Almost immediately after the shooting, uncensored videos of the event began circulating around the internet capturing the horrific details of the day. “The video was absolutely disgusting. It really shook me,” said McGuire. Many agree with McGuire, believing that the video shouldn’t be accessible to the public due to its graphic and some say “traumatizing” content.
On the contrary however, others, such as sophomore Faith Tucker, believe that the video should be publicly accessible. “I think they should be able to understand why and how things happen, and even if it’s something gruesome. They need to understand what went down,” said Tucker. She went on to explain that even though it's unfortunate that some may see this content without wishing to, it’s worth the risk because it means that others may remain informed to the fullest extent.
In his wake, Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika Frantze and his two young daughters.
On September 21, a memorial service was held for Kirk, where family members and prominent political figures spoke, most notably President Donald Trump and Kirk’s wife. At the service, Frantze delivered an emotional speech talking about how she forgave her husband’s killer and how she planned to carry on his legacy in his place.
Major forms of remembrance for Kirk have been announced, with President Donald Trump publicly stating that he will be awarding Kirk the Medal of Freedom posthumously. Additionally, under unanimous consent, the Senate has designated October 14 as the National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.
When questioned about this, both Tucker and McGuire agreed that they don’t believe Kirk “deserves” such high honors. “I feel as though it has gotten to the point where the effect has outweighed the event,” said McGuire.
However, no matter their opinion upon Kirk as a person, many have said they are deeply saddened by his assassination and feel deep sorrow for his family. “No family deserves to go through that,” said Tucker.
