by Erich Rumson ’28 on September 18, 2025
National and Global News
On Wednesday, Sept. 10, the nation was shocked when right-wing activist and influencer Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while holding an event at Utah Valley University. Around 20 minutes into the event, shortly after beginning a debate with a student in the crowd, Kirk was hit by a single shot fired from a nearby rooftop. He was rushed to a hospital by private security, but died shortly after. The suspected assassin, later identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was taken into custody two days later, and is expected to be charged with Kirk’’s murder. The shooting has been seen as another alarming example of a recent wave of political violence taking place in a deeply divided nation.
Kirk, 31, had long been considered as one of the leading conservative voices in America and was a key ally of President Donald Trump in each of his election campaigns. Entering the political scene at age 18, Kirk co-founded the conservative organization Turning Point USA, a prominent activist group with a presence on many college campuses. Kirk became more widely known for his Prove Me Wrong speaking events in which he would debate college students who held opposing views. These debates generated many viral clips that contributed to his large following, especially among young conservatives. He was also the host of the popular podcast The Charlie Kirk Show and gave speeches at prominent political conventions, including Conservative Political Action Conference and the Republican National Convention. He leaves behind his wife, Erika Kirk, and two young children.
Kirk’s murder was met with shock and grief by people across the nation. Trump ordered all flags to be flown at half staff until Sunday in Kirk’s honor. In an address to the nation Wednesday night, Trump referred to Kirk as “a patriot, who devoted his life to the cause of open debate, and to the country that he loved so much.” Prominent figures from across the political aisle, including Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, and Hakeem Jeffries, condemned the act of political violence and offered their condolences to Kirk’s family.
Following the shooting, the FBI and local law enforcement quickly launched a full scale investigation into finding the perpetrator. Images of the shooter captured by surveillance cameras were released to the public the day after the murder, along with the posting of a $100,000 reward for information. That evening, Robinson, a resident of the small town of Washington in Southwest Utah, was turned in to authorities by family members who recognized him in the security footage and heard that he confessed being the shooter to a friend. Robinson, who according to the Wall Street Journal was known as a gifted student, reportedly had “grown more political in recent years” and had developed a strong online presence. According to family members, at a recent dinner Robinson had talked about Kirk’s then-upcoming event at the Utah Valley campus, and expressed hatred towards him and his views. Robinson is currently being held at the Utah County Jail.
Kirk’s murder is the latest incident in an alarming wave of political violence that has been escalating in recent years. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump was the target of two assassination attempts, one of which resulted in the death of a rally attendee, Corey Comperatore. Last December, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered on a sidewalk in Manhattan while walking to a conference. The suspect, Luigi Mangione, had expressed opposition towards the American healthcare system and allegedly engraved messages on the shell casings used in the attack. Other notable examples include the murder of two Israeli embassy staffers in May, and the attacks on two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers last June. These shocking incidents have demonstrated the growing divide in American politics, which may perhaps be at its worst point in decades.
In order to get a better idea of the broader context behind these shocking attacks and to find out what the proper response should be, The Cowl reached out to an on-campus expert Dr. Adam Meyers of the Political Science Department at PC. Meyers noted a trend of tribalism in American politics: “it’s not just that we disagree with each other more, but we increasingly view our political groups as our identity groups and our political opponents as threatening our identity.”
Kirk’s assassination have revived calls for an end to the politically motivated violence that has recently plagued the nation. Kirk had long been known for bringing about open debate on college campuses, which, while often heated, always remained peaceful. Meyers agrees with more dialogue and conversation, but concludes that the purpose of such dialogue should be open-minded: “when debating politics with someone, you should be open to the possibility of changing your mind based on things they say. Talking politics just to express righteous anger or convince yourself that you’re right will only make the situation worse.” With the uncertainty brought about by Kirk’s tragic death, one can only hope that the nation will return to the peaceful discourse that is essential to remaining a free country.