President Trump Orders Flags Flown at Half-Staff Until September 14 to Honor Slain Ally
On September 10, Charlie Kirk — a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump and founder of the conservative nonprofit organization Turning Point — was shot and killed while speaking at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, according to The New York Times. Kirk was only 31 years old.
Videos of the incident show Kirk delivering an outdoor speech before a crowd of about 3,000 people at the “Prove Me Wrong” debate event. As he invited students to challenge his political and cultural views, gunfire erupted and blood spurted from his neck.
Authorities worked at the crime scene following the incident. President Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in the aftermath. (The New York Times)
Utah Valley University spokesperson Ellen Treanor said Kirk was struck by gunfire about 20 minutes into his speech. She added that the suspected shooter fired at Kirk from the Losee Center, a building more than 90 meters away.
Law enforcement agencies — including Orem Police, Utah Valley University Police, the FBI, and the Utah Department of Public Safety — are actively searching for the suspect and investigating the shooting. The campus has been closed, and classes have been suspended.
A photo shows Charlie Kirk with President Trump at an event in 2024. (The New York Times)
On social media, President Trump mourned Kirk, saying, “The great, even legendary, Charlie Kirk has passed away.” According to Trump, Kirk was admired and loved by everyone, especially by himself. The president also ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff nationwide until 6 p.m. on September 14 in memory of Kirk.
Many Democrats and Republicans condemned the shooting, both on social media and in Congress. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, called the act “disgusting, despicable, and reprehensible.”
Former President Barack Obama also wrote on social media: “We still do not know the motive of the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of cowardly violence has no place in our democracy.”
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