President Trump Orders Flags to Be Flown at Half-Staff Until September 14 to Mourn a Fallen 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 (Orem City, Utah), according to The New York Times. Mr. Kirk was only 31 years old.
Video footage of the incident shows Kirk speaking outdoors in front of a crowd of around 3,000 people during a debate titled “Prove Me Wrong.” As he was addressing the audience, inviting students to challenge his political and cultural views, gunshots suddenly rang out and blood spurted from his neck.
Law enforcement officers responded to the scene, and President Trump ordered national flags to be flown at half-staff following the incident.
Ellen Treanor, spokesperson for Utah Valley University, said Kirk was shot approximately 20 minutes into his speech. According to her, the suspect opened fire on Kirk from the Losee Center — a building more than 90 meters away from the stage.
Authorities are still searching for the shooter and conducting a thorough investigation. Four agencies are involved: the Orem City Police Department, Utah Valley University Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Utah Department of Public Safety. The campus has since been shut down, and all classes have been temporarily suspended.
Charlie Kirk and President Trump at an event in 2025
On social media, President Trump expressed his grief over Kirk’s passing, writing: “The great — even legendary — Charlie Kirk has passed away.” According to Trump, Kirk was loved and admired by everyone, especially by the president himself.
President Trump has also ordered all American flags to be flown at half-staff until 6:00 p.m. on September 14 in Kirk’s memory.
Many Democratic and Republican politicians have condemned the shooting, both on social media and in public remarks. In a post, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, called the shooting “disgusting, vile, and absolutely condemnable.”
Former President Barack Obama also posted on social media: “We still don’t know the shooter’s motive for killing Charlie Kirk, but this kind of cowardly violence has no place in our democracy.”
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