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After Charlie Kirk Lost His Life At 31, Chris Pratt And Other Celebrities React To The News
The manhunt continues for the person who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk in a “targeted attack,” police said.
Charlie, a staunch supporter of the US president, was on a speaking tour when his life was violently cut short in front of his wife, children, and the thousands who came to hear him speak at a Utah college campus.
Highlights
- Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist, was assassinated inside the Utah Valley University campus.
- His wife, children, and 3,000 people were attending the event on Wednesday, September 10.
- Chilling footage appeared to show the sniper's shadowy figure running across the roof of a campus building.
- “There’s somebody on the roof right there,” someone in the crowd said.
Authorities believe the assailant fired at him from a rooftop.
RELATED:
The manhunt continues for the person who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk in a “targeted attack”
Image credits: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Trigger warning: contains graphic details that may be distressing to some.
Panic erupted at Utah Valley University when the sniper’s bullet ripped through Charlie’s neck shortly after 12 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10.
The 31-year-old briefly clutched his neck while blood gushed from his wound.
Within moments, Charlie collapsed from his chair and fell to the ground.
His security team rushed him to a hospital, but he did not survive. His passing was confirmed shortly after.
Image credits: WPLG Local 10
Justin Hickens, who was one of the scores of people who gathered at the campus to watch Charlie speak, said he was standing about 20 yards away from the pro-lifer when he heard “a big loud shot.”
“I saw a bunch of blood come out of Charlie,” Justin told NBC News. “I saw his body kind of kick back and go limp, and everybody dropped to the ground.”
The Turning Point USA co-founder was fatally shot in front of his wife, children, and 3,000 attendees
Image credits: Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images
Chilling footage appeared to show a shadowy figure running across the roof of a campus building moments after the assassination.
“There’s somebody on the roof right there,” one clip captured someone in the crowd saying. “He just ran from over there, ran in, now he’s right there.”
Image credits: strictsignal/WarMonitor3
Shots were fired when Charlie was conducting his signature “Prove Me Wrong” table as part of his American Comeback Tour.
The co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth activist organization, was answering questions about mass shootings in the US when he was struck in the university courtyard in front of 3,000 attendees.
“I saw a bunch of blood come out of Charlie,” a witness said about the alarming moment
🚨#BREAKING: New video shows the suspect who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, laying prone on the roof of Losee Center at UVU moments before the shooting. pic.twitter.com/fv1tFqixrv
— Strict Signal (@strictsignal) September 10, 2025
Dispatchers described the suspect as someone wearing a black shirt, a black vest, and jeans.
He was said to be wearing a black tactical helmet, mask, aviator-style glasses, and carrying a long, black weapon.
Image credits: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images
The culprit “is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard,” officials said.
The sniper remains at large as of Wednesday night.
Police interrogated two suspects but eventually released both of them from custody after finding no connection between them and the shooting.
Charlie was answering questions about mass shootings in the US when a bullet ripped through his neck
Look closely at the roof the shooter is running away just after Charlie was shot. pic.twitter.com/zvEcBXlIj3
— WarMonitor🇺🇦🇬🇧 (@WarMonitor3) September 10, 2025
The first suspect was identified as 71-year-old George Zinn, and the second was Zachariah Qureshi.
“There is no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals,” the FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety said in a joint statement.
“There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt,” the statement added.
Image credits: TPointUK
The mother of the second suspect, who was later exonerated, said her son was a fan of the slain activist and had traveled to the university to watch him speak.
He was “super shaken” to witness the firing and then subsequently be blamed for it, the mother said.
“He’s a great kid,” she told the New York Post.
“I have a picture of him. He’s like 25-feet from Charlie on the other side that he was shot. He sent us a video,” she added. “He was attending like any other college kid. He listens to him.”
The sniper, who was wearing tactical gear and had a long, black weapon, remains at large
Image credits: NBCLA
A number of celebrities reacted to the shooting, including Chris Pratt, Jimmy Kimmel, Meghan McCain and others.
“Praying for Charlie Kirk right now, for his wife and young children, for our country. We need God’s grace. God help us,” the Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt wrote in a tweet.
A witness says she recognized the man taken into custody for shooting Charlie Kirk pic.twitter.com/w4otWeNmjh
— jennie (@seoulciity) September 10, 2025
TV personality Piers Morgan called the incident an “appalling assault on free speech and democracy.”
“Charlie always welcomed debate, with anyone. This is disgusting, and heart-breaking. RIP Charlie,” he added.
Two suspects were questioned but released when cops found no connection between them and the shooting
Image credits: jimmykimmel
Image credits: BernieSanders
Jimmy Kimmel did not address Charlie’s passing on his show Jimmy Kimmel Live, but he shared his thoughts on social media.
“Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?” he wrote. “On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents, and innocents who fall victim to senseless g** violence.”
Image credits: Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images
Image credits: MeghanMcCain
Image credits: jakepaul
Stephen Colbert mentioned Charlie’s passing on the latest episode of The Late Show and offered condolences to his family and loved ones.
“Political violence does not solve any of our political differences. Political violence only leads to more political violence. And I pray with all my heart that this is the aberrant action of a madman and not a sign of things to come,” he went on to say.
Celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel, Chris Pratt, and Stephen Colbert spoke about the shooting
Image credits: Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images
Image credits: prattprattpratt
Image credits: stoolpresidente
Meghan McCain, who used to host The View, said, “This is a generational, paradigm shifting moment in American history.”
“Rest in peace Charlie Kirk. The mark you have made on the world will forever be a blessing and memory. We pray for your eternal rest with our Lord. May God bless your family always and be with your children and wife Erika,” she wrote.
Image credits: Charlie Kirk/YouTube
In another tweet, Meghan wrote, “If you think you’re going to scare and silence conservatives to stop speaking and fighting for truth, God, America, family and the soul of our country – you’ve never met one of us.”
“Charlie Kirk got shot for telling the truth. That is literally it. What a mentally sick time we are living through We need god more than ever Praying for Charlie’s family and praying for these evil people to heal,” influencer Jake Paul wrote on X.
Image credits: piersmorgan
Netizens also had strong reactions to the alarming news.
“Shooting from that far, that was no amateur,” one commented online, while another said, “Spent all that time arresting the wrong person… ”
“Wow taking the wrong person into custody. I’m feeling safer by the minute,” another said.
“Doubt they will ever find the person,” one netizen commented online
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What do you think ?
pelemele 5 months ago
Murder is never the answer and will only make this guy look like a martyr.... And on the ironic side: "It's worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment" (Charlie Kirk, Salt Lake City, 2025)
BeesEelsAndPups 5 months ago
Thoughts and prayers for his family. However, it's worth recognizing that the man has spent his, albeit short, career spreading hate. While I do feel sad for his children, and I don't think this helps the cause of the left, center, or center right, the man lived by the sword, and died thusly. This will be a boon for the far-right, to which he belonged, as they will use this to turn him into a martyr.
Load More Replies...
Angie May 5 months ago
There was a school shooting in Denver 19 minutes after he was pronounced dead. Where's everyone's concern for the families of the people harmed there? Or do we only care when it's a "big name" person who dies from gun violence now?
Nils Skirnir 5 months ago
As with the murders of the Minnesota Democratic leader earlier this year, this likely is entirely due to hateful rhetoric, mental illness, and the ready availability of weapons. No matter who killed him or why, this will lead to blowback and more draconian security measures in the US, as happened after 9/11.
Skogsrået 5 months ago
Not american but this guy defended the right to bear arms even if children died from those guns. I care just as much as they care about all those innocent children and teens that have been shot and killed in american school shootings.
Grumpy old man 5 months ago
Youre not kidding. I live in Central Texas near both Sutherland Springs church and Uvalde Elementary. The problem is militias recruit police and the cops are petty and useless. We're better off abolishing them and protecting ourselves. The SCOTUS already ruled the police dont have to act vs shooters, so technically the cowards at Uvalde did nothing wrong by letting 19 children and 2 teachers die. Fkn useless
Load More Replies...
R Dennis 5 months ago
I honestly believe it was a false flag operation. What's been bumped from the headlines? Gaza, Epstein files, ... ? I won't pretend I'm shocked or saddened, I'm also not happy about a father being m******d. But my empathy level is zero for people who have advocated for killing others and called empathy a "made up, new age term." He believed we have to accept gun deaths and that empathy isn't real, so I will respect his wishes.
Gozer LeGozerian 5 months ago
I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that way. Yamtits is absolutely sick enough to do whatever it takes to get the negative attention away from himself and make himself and his deluded ideologies more sympathetic to his dvmb followers
Load More Replies... Grumpy old man 5 months ago
Firstly, everyone misinterprets the 2nd. Read it. Its a contract between the gun owner and the goovernment to aid in the defense of the country from GEORGE 4. Nothing more. There was NO ARMY in 1787. None. Each State was supposed to be defended by its militia. End of story. Now we have nukes, an Army, a Navy, and 4 subsets thereof. The 2nd is moot. It needs to be amended or repealled.
Virgil Blue 5 months ago
Plus its from a time when the most advanced weapon was a flint lock front loaded musket with a barrel with no bore. The writers had no idea people would misuse it to privately own what can only be classes as heavy military grade weaponry.
Load More Replies...
Ron Man 5 months ago
Oh well. I'm more concerned about the school shooting that happened in CO than a n**i a*****e who proclaimed people getting shot was the price to pay for the 2A. Thanks Charlie! I guess you and some kids paid the 2A bill this month.
Emilu 5 months ago (edited)
Oh fuck, his family *was* there. I was hoping that was just false reporting. Awful. As I've said in the other thread about this, I'm not MAGA-siding and I don't agree with many (if any... I can't think of any, anyway) of his views, but I feel for his now widowed wife and his kids that will now grow up without a father. And 31; geez. He was a baby. I'm saddened by the loss of life -- not necessarily the loss of what he brought to the table, so to speak. But downvote me all you will if that's what you wish to do.
shg stewart 5 months ago
Charlie Kirk said that some gun deaths are an inevitable price to pay to have the Second Amendment. As Abraham Lincoln said, "Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."
Megalodon Meg 5 months ago
The smallest semblance of thoughts and prayers I guess. One less a*****e in the world is a win.
Lila Allen 5 months ago
Utah Valley has a lot of generational hunters. They are all excellent shots.Do not turn this into a conspiracy please
David 5 months ago
This is the problem with polarization, that people go to violence, we need to tone down the rhetoric in this country, and other countries too. Get back to not demonizing the other side. Though I think given the distance, with a sniper rifle and a direct hit to the jugular, that this was a highly trained targeted assassination
Tamra 5 months ago (edited)
The vitriolic rhetoric can be laid squarely at the feet of Trump and his supporters. He was elected the first time because that kind of speech appealed to his supporters, and he just refined his technique over the years. Only when someone on the right gets hurt by this $hit are their voices raised to "turn down the rhetoric". So sick of it all.
Load More Replies...
Nikki Sevven 5 months ago
Glorifying gun violence, as Republicans have done for the past 40 years, will eventually backfire on Republicans. Kirk was willing to accept that other people were killed by guns as the price of "freedom." He paid that price, didn't he?
Zara VP 5 months ago
No matter what you think of his views, it is never okay to take pleasure in someone being murder3d for having an opinion. We live in a country where people should be able to speak their minds without fearing for their lives—to have open dialogue, to have your views challenged, to form critical thoughts, to question your assumptions, to listen to perspectives that make you uncomfortable, and to grow from hearing ideas different from your own. Those cheering right now… the ones “happy” or “okay” with Charlie being murder3d… are the same ones who preach “love everyone” and “end world violence.” Do you see the contradiction? Tolerance, peace, and love shouldn’t have conditions—they shouldn’t disappear the moment they are tested in real life. You can hate someone without taking joy in their death and suffering. If we fail to recognize this, we are failing ourselves and others, showing that the ideals we claim to hold are far weaker than we like to pretend.
Virgil Blue 5 months ago
Oh, I don't take any pleasure from this. I feel quite empathic with all others there. I just cant bring myself to feel anything for someone who thougt school shootings where a fair price to pay for owning guns getting shot in a school shooting. Especially since several kids were gunned down onlynan hour later.
Load More Replies... Emilu 5 months ago
I know this is a serious topic but I was hoping that maybe I could lighten the mood even a smidge for someone. Charlie debating with a young woman about pancakes vs waffles. (First time I can recall I just plain agree with him, lol.) https://youtu.be/lR2KYj3LZ_U?si=E1CHoMLTsPSX7aLY
TCW Sam Vimes 5 months ago
What do they always say after the school shootings? Thoughts and prayers? Reap what yow sow I guess.
Angie May 5 months ago
We are so incredibly far beyond politicizing this at this point. That's all it is.
Load More Replies...
Trillian 5 months ago
If you live by the sword you die by the sword. Or gun, in this case.
Load More Replies... pelemele 5 months ago
Murder is never the answer and will only make this guy look like a martyr.... And on the ironic side: "It's worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment" (Charlie Kirk, Salt Lake City, 2025)
BeesEelsAndPups 5 months ago
Thoughts and prayers for his family. However, it's worth recognizing that the man has spent his, albeit short, career spreading hate. While I do feel sad for his children, and I don't think this helps the cause of the left, center, or center right, the man lived by the sword, and died thusly. This will be a boon for the far-right, to which he belonged, as they will use this to turn him into a martyr.
Load More Replies... Angie May 5 months ago
There was a school shooting in Denver 19 minutes after he was pronounced dead. Where's everyone's concern for the families of the people harmed there? Or do we only care when it's a "big name" person who dies from gun violence now?
Nils Skirnir 5 months ago
As with the murders of the Minnesota Democratic leader earlier this year, this likely is entirely due to hateful rhetoric, mental illness, and the ready availability of weapons. No matter who killed him or why, this will lead to blowback and more draconian security measures in the US, as happened after 9/11.
Skogsrået 5 months ago
Not american but this guy defended the right to bear arms even if children died from those guns. I care just as much as they care about all those innocent children and teens that have been shot and killed in american school shootings.
Grumpy old man 5 months ago
Youre not kidding. I live in Central Texas near both Sutherland Springs church and Uvalde Elementary. The problem is militias recruit police and the cops are petty and useless. We're better off abolishing them and protecting ourselves. The SCOTUS already ruled the police dont have to act vs shooters, so technically the cowards at Uvalde did nothing wrong by letting 19 children and 2 teachers die. Fkn useless
Load More Replies... R Dennis 5 months ago
I honestly believe it was a false flag operation. What's been bumped from the headlines? Gaza, Epstein files, ... ? I won't pretend I'm shocked or saddened, I'm also not happy about a father being m******d. But my empathy level is zero for people who have advocated for killing others and called empathy a "made up, new age term." He believed we have to accept gun deaths and that empathy isn't real, so I will respect his wishes.
Gozer LeGozerian 5 months ago
I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that way. Yamtits is absolutely sick enough to do whatever it takes to get the negative attention away from himself and make himself and his deluded ideologies more sympathetic to his dvmb followers
Load More Replies... Grumpy old man 5 months ago
Firstly, everyone misinterprets the 2nd. Read it. Its a contract between the gun owner and the goovernment to aid in the defense of the country from GEORGE 4. Nothing more. There was NO ARMY in 1787. None. Each State was supposed to be defended by its militia. End of story. Now we have nukes, an Army, a Navy, and 4 subsets thereof. The 2nd is moot. It needs to be amended or repealled.
Virgil Blue 5 months ago
Plus its from a time when the most advanced weapon was a flint lock front loaded musket with a barrel with no bore. The writers had no idea people would misuse it to privately own what can only be classes as heavy military grade weaponry.
Load More Replies... Ron Man 5 months ago
Oh well. I'm more concerned about the school shooting that happened in CO than a n**i a*****e who proclaimed people getting shot was the price to pay for the 2A. Thanks Charlie! I guess you and some kids paid the 2A bill this month.
Emilu 5 months ago (edited)
Oh fuck, his family *was* there. I was hoping that was just false reporting. Awful. As I've said in the other thread about this, I'm not MAGA-siding and I don't agree with many (if any... I can't think of any, anyway) of his views, but I feel for his now widowed wife and his kids that will now grow up without a father. And 31; geez. He was a baby. I'm saddened by the loss of life -- not necessarily the loss of what he brought to the table, so to speak. But downvote me all you will if that's what you wish to do.
shg stewart 5 months ago
Charlie Kirk said that some gun deaths are an inevitable price to pay to have the Second Amendment. As Abraham Lincoln said, "Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."
Megalodon Meg 5 months ago
The smallest semblance of thoughts and prayers I guess. One less a*****e in the world is a win.
Lila Allen 5 months ago
Utah Valley has a lot of generational hunters. They are all excellent shots.Do not turn this into a conspiracy please
David 5 months ago
This is the problem with polarization, that people go to violence, we need to tone down the rhetoric in this country, and other countries too. Get back to not demonizing the other side. Though I think given the distance, with a sniper rifle and a direct hit to the jugular, that this was a highly trained targeted assassination
Tamra 5 months ago (edited)
The vitriolic rhetoric can be laid squarely at the feet of Trump and his supporters. He was elected the first time because that kind of speech appealed to his supporters, and he just refined his technique over the years. Only when someone on the right gets hurt by this $hit are their voices raised to "turn down the rhetoric". So sick of it all.
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 5 months ago
Glorifying gun violence, as Republicans have done for the past 40 years, will eventually backfire on Republicans. Kirk was willing to accept that other people were killed by guns as the price of "freedom." He paid that price, didn't he?
Zara VP 5 months ago
No matter what you think of his views, it is never okay to take pleasure in someone being murder3d for having an opinion. We live in a country where people should be able to speak their minds without fearing for their lives—to have open dialogue, to have your views challenged, to form critical thoughts, to question your assumptions, to listen to perspectives that make you uncomfortable, and to grow from hearing ideas different from your own. Those cheering right now… the ones “happy” or “okay” with Charlie being murder3d… are the same ones who preach “love everyone” and “end world violence.” Do you see the contradiction? Tolerance, peace, and love shouldn’t have conditions—they shouldn’t disappear the moment they are tested in real life. You can hate someone without taking joy in their death and suffering. If we fail to recognize this, we are failing ourselves and others, showing that the ideals we claim to hold are far weaker than we like to pretend.
Virgil Blue 5 months ago
Oh, I don't take any pleasure from this. I feel quite empathic with all others there. I just cant bring myself to feel anything for someone who thougt school shootings where a fair price to pay for owning guns getting shot in a school shooting. Especially since several kids were gunned down onlynan hour later.
Load More Replies... Emilu 5 months ago
I know this is a serious topic but I was hoping that maybe I could lighten the mood even a smidge for someone. Charlie debating with a young woman about pancakes vs waffles. (First time I can recall I just plain agree with him, lol.) https://youtu.be/lR2KYj3LZ_U?si=E1CHoMLTsPSX7aLY
TCW Sam Vimes 5 months ago
What do they always say after the school shootings? Thoughts and prayers? Reap what yow sow I guess.
Angie May 5 months ago
We are so incredibly far beyond politicizing this at this point. That's all it is.
Load More Replies... Trillian 5 months ago
If you live by the sword you die by the sword. Or gun, in this case.
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