By Travis Gillmore
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at the age of 31 while speaking to a crowd of students at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday.
The founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk was known for his fiery brand of conservative political advocacy that mobilized young voters across the nation in recent elections.
He was struck in the neck in broad daylight by a shooter while performing on stage at his “American Comeback” tour.
Charles James Kirk was born Oct. 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Raised by a mother who specialized in mental health counseling and an architect father, Kirk excelled in academics as a young child.
He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout while displaying leadership skills that would later propel him into the political arena.
Kirk’s first foray into politics was as a volunteer for a U.S. Senate campaign while attending high school.
He later found the media limelight after protesting what he described as a progressive bias in school textbooks.
Kirk’s trajectory continued to climb, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently interviewed him for his new podcast’s first episode.
President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post called Kirk’s death a “tragic loss for the conservative movement.”
This story will be updated with additional details.
