Overview

• Kirk was shot while speaking under a tent during a “Prove Me Wrong” stop that opened his American Comeback tour at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
• Authorities said no suspect had been identified and the investigation remained active; he was transported to a hospital and later died.
• President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death, ordered U.S. flags flown at half-staff through Sunday, and said he will award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.
• Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and built it into a national youth operation on more than 3,500 campuses with 2023 revenue of $81.7 million, topping $92 million with its political arm.
• A polarizing figure praised by allies for youth mobilization and criticized for tactics like the Professor Watchlist and disputed claims, Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their two young children.