Utah: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Wednesday, September 10, during the first stop of his "American Comeback Tour" at the Utah Valley University in Utah. He had been seated at his trademark "Prove Me Wrong" table, engaging students in debate when the attack took place.
Just hours before his death, Kirk shared a pointed message on X (formerly Twitter), addressing the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, who was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail train in August.
Posting a video featuring White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, he wrote, "If we want things to change, it's 100% necessary to politicise the senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska because it was politics that allowed a savage monster with 14 priors to be free on the streets to kill her."
Have a look at his post here:
X Screengrab
Kirk's statement drew significant engagement online, resonating with his supporters and reigniting debate around repeat offenders and criminal justice policy.
In the video, Kirk criticised what he described as systemic failures that enabled violent criminals to remain on the streets. He referred specifically to the suspect in Zarutska’s killing, Decarlos Brown Jr, who faces charges of first-degree murder and a federal terrorism-related offence. Brown reportedly had 14 prior offences.
Have a look at the video here:
The case had drawn national attention, with President Donald Trump calling for the death penalty of the accused. Kirk argued that "politicising" such events was necessary to drive policy change and "protect future victims".
Kirk Shot At Utah University Event
The attack at Utah Valley University intensified the ongoing conversations about political violence and the safety of public figures in the United States. Kirk’s tour was set to span across 15 universities, focusing on conservative engagement with students.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was a well-known figure in right-wing political circles. Since launching his organisation in 2012, he had become a prominent voice among young conservative voters through his media appearances and his radio programme, The Charlie Kirk Show.
