charlie kirk: A college campus, a fiery speaker – and then a single gunshot

The fall period gathered around a white shadow in a crowded crowded grassy courtyard for weeks. They wanted to hear what the speaker had to say. Somehow: It was a typical university scene with the promise of exchange of ideas and discussions except for its size.

This speaker was Charlie Kirk, one of the most influential sounds in President Donald Trump’s “Make America again” movement, and on Wednesday, the event at Utah Valley University attracted more than 3,000 people. Backpack-Toting students watched as kirk from the surrounding buildings, wore a white T-shirt saying “Freedom”, throwing the Red Maga covers to frizbee-style fans.

He took his place under the canopy, took the slogan “American return” and “prove me wrong”. He took a microphone moved by hand and began to appeal to the audience.
A single shot cracked when he answered a question about the weapon violence.

Campuses were Kirk’s 31 -year -old Kirk, a podcaster, frequently paused. He adopted the concepts of Christian nationalism and often made provocative statements about gender, race, religion and politics. In order to have the second change in order to protect our rights of the other God, he insisted that “having some gun deaths every year” was worth it.

Generally, he brought these ideas to the university campuses where they were controversial. Kirk was forcing the progressives to openly argued and the audience for their consumption to political points. Campus views usually drew protests and Wednesday was no different. The online petitions signed by thousands of people asked to speak at Utah Valley University and to cancel the other planned at Utah State University on September 30th. “As students at Utah Valley University, we have come to feed an environment that strives for inclusion and diversity.” He said. “Nevertheless, Charlie Kirk’s planned speech participation threatens this ideal.

The university responded by confirming the “free speech, intellectual investigation and constructive dialogue commitment”.

No metal detector or bag control was typical for Kirk’s events, security was light. There were six university police officers and some private security assigned to the event. In his statement to the Associated Press, they did not have metal detectors or bag controls. Some participants said that no one controls their tickets.

As Kirk arrived, cheering rose. Packed a crowded courtyard and students, including some protesters, were watched from nearby buildings or perspectives.

“Do you know how many transgender American mass shooters in the last 10 years?” A viewer asked.

Kirk replied, “too much.”

The question continued: “Do you know how many mass shooters have been in America for the last 10 years?”

“Considering the intensity of the gang or counting?” Kirk asked.

These were the last words before the bullet hit him. Authorities said that the shot came from a figure in the dark clothes on a remote roof on campus.

Blood gushed through Kirk’s neck. He held the microphone for a moment, then he collapsed.

Madison Lattin, 21, was several dozen meters to the left of Kirk when the shooting echoed. Lattin, who has been looking at Kirk for a long time, watched the filth of his body and saw blood.

And he clicked on his head: “This is a hot. What will happen now?”

Shock, then chaos and escape “No! Charlie!” A audience screamed.

“Go! Run! Go!” He shouted another.

The crowd escaped from the plaza in more than one direction, some were slipping and falling or leaping on the benches.

Utah Moms State Director Current Bartholomew for the United States said that he had removed his 17 -year -old son Kirk’s event to participate in his event. Other women and children from the group attended. He was waiting to ask when Bartholomew’s son Kirk was shot. The chaos began and people could not find it when people leaned over and started running. Later, he found out that his son was not damaged.

He said, “We were all trying to take young children and get them as close as possible,” he said.

25 -year -old Ryan Devries, who worked as the first intervention as a voluntary intervention, said that he was surprised by the absence of security in the event; While waiting to walk in metal detectors, he left his hot gun in his car.

When he heard that he had heard a sound like the “explosion” fireworks, he passed through the crowd to ask Kirk a question. After the shooting, looking at the stage, Devries saw Kirk’s head fell.

Devries, terror and panic with a confluence of a short time exploded, he said. Some participants dived into a nearby building and said it had passed through a water fountain to escape. Others leaned and hid.

“People were absolutely afraid of their lives. I could see it in their eyes. I could hear it in their voices. People were crying. People were screaming.” He said.

After the panic decreased, Erynn Lammi, a 35 -year -old student who heard the firearms, saw air pods, phones, switches and garbage in front of the courtyard. When he returned home, he shouted his eyes, feeling the wife and children of Kirk because he reminded the loss of his father at the age of 13.

“Weakness,” Lammi said.

During the hours, his death echoed throughout the country, a democratic minnesota state deputy and his husband in May, including the murder of two Israeli Embassy employees in the United States of the United States as an example of the increasing threat of political violence in the United States. President Donald Trump was shot in the ear last year in the campaign permission in West Pennsylvania.

Former President George W. Bush, “Today, a young man was killed with cold blood while expressing his political views.” He said. “It was on a university campus, which should be sacrificial change of opposing ideas. Violence and Vitriol should be cleaned from public square.”

Former Democratic President Joe Biden sent to X in his condolences. “There is no place for such violence in our country. Now it should end,” he wrote. “Jill and I pray for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.”

Late on Wednesday night, the shooter remained in general. Police helicopters still wandered Orem in the early hours of the evening and caused blockage on the streets surrounding the barricades campus. Armed officers wandered in small groups.

Immediately from the campus, a man was standing in a street corner holding a sign that says “Rip Charlie”. A truck crossing ceremony passed the city flying American flags in honor.

On a nearby watch, several dozen people gathered and held electric candles in the light of the sloping afternoon. While silent participants looking at them, in a chaotic afternoon, speakers read the Bible verses.