Video footage captured the arrest of a suspect following the shooting of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Deseret News reporters on site reported that Kirk was struck in the neck during a Q&A session with students. A gunshot erupted approximately two minutes into the interview, prompting immediate chaos.
A campus alert from UVU confirmed a single shot was fired toward a visiting speaker, with police stating the suspect was in custody. An older man was taken into police custody, though his identity remained undisclosed. Footage from multiple angles of the incident has circulated online, with warnings about its graphic nature.
An X user questioned whether close-up footage had been altered by AI, to which an assistant responded that no obvious signs of manipulation were evident, though further forensic analysis was recommended. A spokesperson for Turning Point USA confirmed Kirk was hospitalized and expressed prayers for his recovery.
Witness Justin Hickens described hearing a loud shot, seeing blood spurt from Kirk’s neck, and observing the speaker collapse before attendees fled the outdoor pavilion. He later recounted seeing officers arrest an elderly man with white hair, who protested his rights as he was cuffed. Security at the event reportedly included only Kirk’s personal safeguards, with no metal detectors present.
