UPDATE Charlie Kirk has died

The news was announced by the US president on his platform, Truth Social.

"The great and even legendary Charlie Kirk has passed away. No one understood or had the heart of the youth of the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by EVERYONE, especially me, and now he is no longer with us. Melania and I send our condolences to his beautiful wife Erika and his family. Charlie, we love you!" Trump wrote.

UPDATE Suspect not yet in custody, university says, despite previous statement

The suspect in the shooting death of political activist Charlie Kirk is not yet in custody, according to a Utah Valley University spokesperson, despite the university previously saying police had taken one person into custody.

"We can confirm that Kirk was shot, but we do not know his condition. The suspect is not in custody. Police are still investigating. The campus is closed for the remainder of the day," UVU spokesman Scott Trotter said in a statement, according to the Deseret News.

Initially, the university said the suspect was in custody.

Kirk, who was invited by a group of students, was giving a speech when a gunman fired from a campus building about 200 feet from Kirk, a spokesperson told CNN.

UPDATE Kirk spoke out about gun violence moments before he was shot, video shows

In videos circulating on social media, Charlie Kirk can be seen standing in a white gazebo, addressing a crowd gathered at an event at Utah Valley University, writes the BBC.

The tent reads “The American Comeback Tour” – the name of his current conference tour.

In a video, an audience member can be heard asking Kirk about mass shootings in America:"Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America in the last 10 years?"

Holding a microphone, Kirk responds,"Counting or not counting gang violence?"

A loud gunshot is heard, and Kirk appears to wobble in his chair.

A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting told The Associated Press that Kirk is being treated and is in critical condition. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

UPDATE

The shootings come amid a surge in political violence across the U.S., across the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the killing of a Minnesota congresswoman and her husband in their home in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade demanding the release of hostages by Hamas, and the burning of the home of Pennsylvania's Jewish governor in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who attended the event, said in an interview with Fox News Channel that he heard a gunshot and saw Kirk retreat.

"It appeared to be close-range gunfire," said Chaffetz, who appeared shocked as he spoke.

He said there was a light police presence at the event and that Kirk had some protection, but it was insufficient.

"Utah is one of the safest places on the planet," he said."So we just don't have these things."

Turning Point was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a Tea Party activist, to preach low taxes and limited government on college campuses. It wasn't an immediate success.

But Kirk's zeal to confront liberals in academia eventually won over an influential group of conservative funders.

Despite initial doubts, Turning Point enthusiastically supported Trump after he won the Republican Party nomination in 2016. Kirk was a personal assistant to Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, during the general election.

Kirk soon became a regular on cable TV, engaging in the culture wars and praising the then-president. Trump and his son were equally effusive, often speaking at Turning Point conferences.

Original news:

A suspect is in custody, the university said in a statement. Kirk had been invited by a group of students and was giving a speech when a gunshot was fired from a campus building about 200 yards away.

"We confirm that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie," said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations director for Turning Point USA.

Videos posted to social media by Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while standing under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans"The American Comeback" and "Prove Me Wrong." A single gunshot is heard and Kirk can be seen raising his right hand as a large volume of blood spurts from the left side of his neck. Shocked onlookers can be heard moaning and screaming before people start running.

The AP was able to confirm that the videos were filmed in the courtyard of the Sorensen Center on the campus of Utah Valley University.

Kirk was speaking at a debate organized by his nonprofit political organization. The event has drawn divided opinion on campus. An online petition calling on university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing has garnered nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week invoking First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”

President Donald Trump and a number of Republican elected officials offered prayers for Kirk on social media.

"We all need to pray for Charlie Kirk, who was shot. A great guy in every way. GOD BLESS HIM!" Trump posted on Truth Social.

Former Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta had an interview this year on the Charlie Kirk SHOW [dubbed in Romanian], where he discussed the annulment of the Romanian elections in the GÂNDUL studio.

Who is Charlie Kirk

Aged 31, he is the father of two and is the executive director and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a leading organization for young conservatives.