In a tragic incident at Utah Valley University in Orem, Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during an event. The shocking event unfolded unexpectedly, as reported by Emma Pitts from Deseret News, who witnessed the shooting firsthand.
Charlie Kirk’s death was confirmed by his organization on social media, leaving the community in shock and mourning. The shooter remains at large, adding to the distress of the situation. NPR’s Scott Detrow spoke with Pitts, who shared her experience of the incident.
Emma Pitts recounted, “Charlie Kirk, he had just – I mean, maybe 10 minutes in, it started. He was on his second question. And before he could even answer the second question that the interviewer asked, he went to go pick up the mic, and I watched – I heard first a sound. It sounded like a firecracker. And then I just saw so much blood come out of the left side of Charlie’s neck, and then he went limp. And at that point, we all hit the ground.”
Despite the presence of a few protesters displaying a Pride flag and signs, Pitts described the atmosphere as largely positive, with many college students excited to see Kirk speak. She estimated around 300 attendees were present, but security measures were notably lacking, as there were no metal detectors or bag checks at the event.
The absence of stringent security was noted by Pitts, who mentioned, “There was no, like, process to go through that. No bags were checked. It’s all at a public space at the university.” Minimal security was observed, with only a few police officers present behind Kirk’s tent.
The aftermath of the shooting left attendees and witnesses in a state of shock and sorrow. Pitts described the scene, “Just absolute tragedy. I have strangers coming up to me, asking if I can hug them all the time. There’s, I mean, still people here just so horrified by what they had to see. And I think it just – everyone is so upset and brokenhearted, and we’re all praying for his family and for him.”
As the investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of a prominent figure in conservative activism, while authorities search for the perpetrator of this grievous act.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
