Kirk, co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, was immediately ushered away and into an SUV by his private security team after a single shot was fired around 12:10 p.m. and hit him in the neck. Kirk died soon after being rushed to the hospital.

President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death in a Truth Social post, saying, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk is dead.”

The Turning Point USA leadership team issued a note to employees and supporters saying that “early this afternoon, Charlie went to his eternal reward with Jesus Christ in Heaven.” Employees at the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix have been sent home early, and the building has been blocked off.

Conflicting reports are coming out about the status of a suspect: FBI Director Kash Patel announced hours after the shooting in an X post that “The subject for the horrific shooting” is in custody, while moments later, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner, Beau Mason, stated in a news conference that an active investigation is ongoing, utilizing closed-circuit TV security footage from the campus. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said authorities are interviewing a “person of interest” in custody.

In an X post and text alert sent to students, Utah Valley University initially claimed that there was a suspect in custody. However, according to Deseret News, UVU spokesperson Scott Trotter released a statement stating that any “suspect is not in custody.” Additionally, Utah Valley University has closed the campus for the day and cancelled classes “until further notice.”

The shooting occurred during one of Kirk’s “Prove Me Wrong” debates after an audience member asked Kirk a question about how many transgender mass shooters there have been in America over the past 10 years, followed by a question about how many total mass shooters there have been in America in the same time period.

Many governors and U.S. political figures have spoken out to condemn the shooting, including Gov. Cox in an X post saying that “Violence has no place in our public life,” and that “Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act.”

//For an AZ angle: Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said in a statement posted on X that she was “deeply saddened by the news of the assassination of Charlie Kirk,” who lived in the Valley area. Hobbs continued to state that, beyond political differences, this is “about the devastating loss of a father, a neighbor, and an Arizonan who called this state home.”

Governors, senators, representatives, and other political figures from across the country are offering their prayers to Kirk’s family, including President Trump, former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The FBI has set up an online tip line about the shooting, which can be found here.