Washington [US], September 11 : US President Donald Trump announced on social media that conservative activist Charlie Kirk has died after he was shot in the neck while speaking at a Utah Valley University event. Trump said that Kirk "was loved and admired by ALL."
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"
The White House also informed that Trump has ordered that all American flags throughout the United States will be lowered to half-mast.
The White House wrote in an X post, "In honor of Charlie Kirk, President Trump is ordering all American flags throughout the U.S. to be lowered to Half Mast."
According to The New York Times, the shooting took place when Kirk was responding to a student's question about mass shootings during the university event.
Utah Valley University confirmed that investigators are still searching for the gunman. "There is no suspect in custody, it is an active investigation," university spokesperson Ellen Treanor said in a statement, as per The NYT.
The university added that multiple agencies are now involved in the probe, including the Orem Police Department, Utah Valley University Police, the FBI, and the Utah Department of Public Safety, the New York Times reported.
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