Who is Charlie Kirk? Conservative influencer and Trump ally shot dead in Utah

Mr Kirk, 31, has long been considered a loyal ally of Donald Trump and a "legendary" figure among Conservatives, the US President said on Wednesday.

Rising to fame for his right-leaning values and debating style, the activist was shot dead during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University (UVU) on Wednesday in front of his wife and two children.

Videos circulating online show Kirk speaking to a large crowd at the university when gunshot is heard, before Kirk is seen to collapsing in his chair, visibly injured.

The appearance was the first date of a 15-part university event series called the "American Comeback Tour" and when the shooting took place he was sitting at his “Prove Me Wrong” debating table, where he was taking questions the audience.

Who was Charlie Kirk?

The 31-year-old political activist was the founder and CEO of the right-wing organisation, Turning Point USA, which acted as a youth advocacy arm for electing Conservative politicians in the US, particularly Trump.

He was well known online with over 5 million followers on X, over 7 million on Tik Tok and over 8 million on Instagram.

He also hosted podcast The Charlie Kirk Show, and made many public speaking appearances which would offer clips that would regularly go viral of him arguing with students over topics such as abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.

He was known for opposing gay marriage, denying climate change, spreading COVID-19 misinformation and promoting the idea of electoral fraud in 2020.

Read more: LBC reaction to the news of Charlie Kirk's death

Read more: Farage: Trump will be 'deeply affected' by Charlie Kirk's assassination

What were his views?

Kirk caused controversy often and was decisive figure in the US political landscape.

He was an avid supporter of gun rights from a young age, with Politico reporting that he once argued with a teacher that if guns make people violent, “do forks make people fat?”

At a TPUSA Faith event in April 2023, when talking about gun control and shootings, Kirk said: “I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth (it) to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the second amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”

Read more: LBC callers explain to James O'Brien what Charlie Kirk stood for

One of his biggest opinion points was on abortion, which in a video of him arguing with a student he compared the procedure to the holocaust: "It is never right to justify the mass termination of people under the guise of saying that they are unwanted. That's how we get Auschwitz, that's how we got the greatest horror of the 20th century."

He was heavily opinionated on issues surrounding races, saying Juneteenth was "un-American" and calling George Floyd a "scumbag".

At a 2023 convention, organised by Turning Point USA, he called Martin Luther King Jr. an "awful" person and continued: “I have a very, very radical view on this, but I can defend it, and I’ve thought about it. We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s.”

In different public opinions he referred to transgender people as “groomers” and has been an advocate for banning gender-affirming care, saying providers should face “Nuremberg-style trials”.

What has been the reaction to his death?

Donald Trump was a vocal supporter of Kirk and made the official confirmation of Kirk's death.

He worked on Trump's 2016 Campaign, making friends with the president's children and he went on to be one of the youngest speakers at the 2016 Republican National Convention (RNC).

A snippet of Trump is featured on Kirk's podcast saying: "I want to thank Charlie, he's an incredible guy, his spirit, his love of this country, he's done an amazing job building one of the most powerful youth organisations ever created."

There has been a massive reaction on social media to the news, with many politicians and celebrities paying their condolences to Kirk and his family.

Many celebrities that have condemned Trump and his politics also showed support for the public figure.

Chat show host, Stephen Colbert, opened his programme following the news with a speech about the incident, instead of his usual monologue.

Colbert said: “Political violence only leads to more political violence, and I pray with all my heart that this is the aberrant action of a madman and not a sign of things to come.”

American comedian Rosie O'Donnell, who Trump threatened to revoke US citizenship of, wrote on Instagram: "no just no - do not become the murderer - this is wrong on every level- #werallamericans"

Former US president made a statement on X saying: "There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones."

Who is Charlie Kirk's wife? How many children does he have?

Kirk was married to businesswoman and former Miss Arizona, Erika Kirk, and the pair have two children together.

They began dating in 2019.

The couple married in 2021 and their children, one and three, were both present with their mother in Utah.

Erika is a devout Christian and had posted a Bible verse on her X page just hours before her husband was killed.