Manhunt continues for Charlie Kirk’s killer
The FBI is now offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the ‘identification and arrest’ of the person responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk. LiveNOW’s Stephanie Coueignoux discusses the latest details of the investigation with Kenneth Valentine, a retired Secret Service agent.
Turning Point USA released a statement on Thursday, one day after Charlie Kirk, the organization’s founder, was shot and killed at Utah Valley University.
Kirk was killed while speaking at his first stop of his American Comeback Tour hosted by Turning Point USA.
Turning Point USA releases statement on Charlie Kirk
What they’re saying:
“Every one of us at Turning Point USA is crushed and devastated by the hateful murder of our founder and guiding light Charlie Kirk,” the organization said on X on September 11. “All of us have lost a leader, a mentor and a friend,” they said. “Above all, our hearts are with Erika and their two children. Charlie was the ideal husband and the perfect father. Above all else, we ask you to pray for the Kirks after the incomprehensible loss they have suffered.”
The organization continued: “More than anyone, Charlie believed in the power of argument and good-faith debate to find the truth and guide people towards, if not agreement, then at least mutual understanding.”
Turning Point USA noted that Charlie was “no stranger to threats.”
“He received thousands throughout his life. But he always prioritized reaching as many young Americans as possible over his own personal safety. Now, Charlie has become America’s greatest martyr to the freedom of speech he so adored.”
Turning Point USA is one of the largest national student conservative organizations in the country. It was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a tea party activist, to proselytize on college campuses for low taxes and limited government.
Kirk appeared alongside President Donald Trump on stage at political events, and was also a frequent commentator on cable news. He was the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention and played a major role in Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Founder and executive director of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk speaks at the opening of the Turning Point Action conference on July 15, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The organization continued: “In his thirty-one years, Charlie lived more than any of us will in a hundred. He had an overwhelming passion for life and a deep belief in his power as an individual to make a difference. With the spirit of a pioneer, Charlie launched Turning Point out of his parent’s garage as an 18-year-old with no money, no name recognition, only a dream. His energy and drive were awe-inspiring, without equal and deeply infectious. Charlie refused to squander a single day of his life. He was a natural builder and problem solver, who loved a challenge and saw every setback as a chance to learn, grow, pray, and try again. He was fundamentally decent, always eager to make new friends and allies and to support and defend the ones he had already made. His values were timeless American ones: Honesty, forthrightness, duty, loyalty, and fair play.”
You can read the rest of Turning Point’s statement here.
One gunshot fired from a roof
The backstory:
Charlie Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point USA when authorities said the shooter fired from a roof.
Videos posted to social media show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent. A single shot rang out, and Kirk reached up with his right hand as blood gushed from the left side of his neck.
On Thursday, the FBI released a photo of the person of interest in Charlie Kirk’s murder. The agency is also offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to an arrest.
Photos released by the FBI show a person of interest in the shooting death of Charlie Kirk (FBI)
The Source: The information for this story was provided by Turning Point’s statement on X. Previous FOX Local reporting also contributed. This story was reported from Los Angeles.