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Special reports, clips and features from Impact 89FM's news department.
During the first event of Turning Point USA's fall American comeback tour, co founder and CEO Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck on Utah Valley University campus. Kirk had been speaking to students about gun violence before his death Wednesday afternoon. UVU stated online that Kirk was shot at approximately 12:20PM Mountain Standard Time and was escorted to a nearby hospital by private security. The Utah Department of Public Health and Safety held a twenty minute press conference at 04:30PM through an Instagram livestream addressing the incident, including comments from UDPHS Commissioner Bo Mason, FBI Special Agent Robert Bowles, UVU Vice President Val Peterson, UVU police chief Jeffrey Long, and governor Spencer Cox. UDPHS is co leading an investigation into the incident alongside the FBI, local police, university police, and county sheriff's office to apprehend the shooter.
Speaker 2:Shortly after the shooting, we did have a suspect in custody, George Zinn, but he was released from custody after we identified that he did not match the shooting suspect, and was not an accurate person of interest. However, he has been booked into the, county jail by Utah Valley University Police Department for obstruction of justice. This incident occurred with a large crowd around. There was one shot fired and once one victim. Believe this was a targeted attack towards one individual.
Speaker 3:Say that on behalf of Utah Valley University, we are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk. We express our sincere condolences to the Kirk family. We agree with our students, faculty, and staff who bore witness to this unspeakable tragedy. He was invited by the student group Turning Point USA to speak on our campus. We firmly believe that UVU is a place to share ideas and to debate openly and respectfully.
Speaker 3:Any attempt to infringe on those rights has no place here. We do not condone any form of violence at UVU and seek to make our campus a safe place for all.
Speaker 1:Speakers at the press conference were firm in the stance that this was a politically motivated attack, calling it an assassination.
Speaker 4:I've been in touch with with president Trump, with FBI director Kash Patel. We are completely aligned with our state and federal partners as, as we work through this case. Now this is a dark day for our state. It's a tragic day for our nation. I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.
Speaker 1:UVU police chief Jeffrey Long stated that there were six officers at the event, as well as Kirk's private security team. An estimation of over 3,000 people were in attendance. Special Agent Bowles stated that officials are working on setting up a digital media tip line for people to submit any information about the shooting. At 06:21PM Eastern Standard Time, FBI director Patel posted to X. The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody.
Speaker 1:Officials did not announce an arrest until Thursday evening at 10PM local time, and the suspect, Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody. Utah State University stated that Robinson was registered with the university for a semester in 2021. He is an inactive voter and unaffiliated with any political party, according to Utah voting records. Charlie Kirk had visited MSU as a part of the American comeback tour in April to mixed reactions. The MSU chapter of Turning Point USA held a candlelight vigil for Kirk on Thursday at 9PM at the Wells Hall Courtyard.
Speaker 1:Turning Point USA chapter president Alex Spitzan provided a brief written statement reflecting the student organization's perspective on the passing of Charlie Kirk. We are devastated to hear about the assassination of Charlie Kirk at an American comeback tour event in Utah Valley University. Charlie devoted his life to promoting an open dialogue and encouraged those who disagreed with him to have a civil conversation. In a cruel twist of irony, this respectable, necessary pursuit ended with his premature death. Charlie was an inspiration to all of us at Turning Point USA.
Speaker 1:His combination of conviction and respect made him a powerful force for good in our nation. He empowered young people around the country to stand for the timeless values of free speech, limited government, and personal liberty. Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlie's wife Erica, his two kids, with the chapter leaders at Utah Valley University, and with the entire Turning Point community. We pray that all may be comforted during this time of extraordinary tragedy, and that we may be inspired to continue Charlie's mission to make our nation a freer, more conservative, more prosperous place. God bless Charlie and God bless America, Alex Bitsan, Turning Point USA at MSU Chapter President.
Speaker 1:After the February on MSU campus, gun violence remains a pertinent topic for MSU students. Many students and community members empathized with UVU and spoke about the ongoing trend of gun violence in schools. Frank Fabrizio, a junior international relations major, voiced concern about gun violence on college campuses and ongoing political tensions.
Speaker 5:Well, obviously, we've had some, like, some gun based violence in the past. Even here at Michigan State in in the union, we had the shooting a few years ago, and I think this is just kind of a furthermore a, kind of continuance of that. I just think it might escalate some of the the violence and problems we've had on Can on campuses all across the country even more so than it has in the past.
Speaker 1:Fabrizio continued, explaining that despite a difference in political ideology, he believes in the importance of organizations like Turning Point USA.
Speaker 5:I mean, I don't support Turning Point USA, but I support their existence because free speech and, like, expression of ideology is very important and is one of the principles of American democracy. So even though I don't support them, I think it's good that everyone has a place to express their ideals.
Speaker 1:Other students such as Emmett Coyne, a freshman studying political science, also feel uneasy about future campus events as a result of Kirk's death.
Speaker 6:I'm just thinking that maybe, we should, be a little bit more cautious if we're gonna be bringing in controversial figures so that we don't put our campus at risk.
Speaker 1:Lansing locals are also feeling the weight of the incident and the possible societal consequences. Dee Mills, 31, shared her outlook on the future of The US.
Speaker 7:I think that politically this is going to drive the right side and the conservative side to be more open to retaliation almost, but it as well might also increase security on campuses and also in schools in general that have been affected by so much gun violence and other things.
Speaker 1:When Kirk had visited MSU campus last spring, Mills said that she was hoping to speak out against him.
Speaker 7:I was wanting to go and join the protests against him, but I was unable to due to prior engagements. But I was very just frustrated with the fact that somebody just wants to come on campus just to spread hate.
Speaker 1:Erica Fetterman, a senior majoring in supply chain management, believes that the shooting was also influenced by hate.
Speaker 8:Like, that person probably just didn't agree with Charlie Kirk and, like, what he was telling or educating students on, whether it was, like, what he believed or not. Like, I just feel like it was all just hate. No matter how much one can, like, hate someone, I don't really understand, like, the purpose of shooting them or, like, trying to kill them. I feel like that's insanely violent and just not needed whatsoever. No matter how much I would hate someone, I would never try and kill them.
Speaker 1:Fetterman shared what this incident means to her and its broader implications.
Speaker 8:I feel like people these days are choosing more of a violent approach towards what they actually believe or what they fear is gonna happen in them, which I don't think is, I think, their part of the problem. And I just feel like everyone should be able to speak freely on what they want to, but also no violence should come out of it.
Speaker 1:For Impact eighty nine FM, I'm Mako Jalanuski.