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September 16, 2025

Charlie Kirk killed at Utah Valley University; 22-year-old charged and prosecutors say they will seek death penalty

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22-year-old faces execution under state terrorism enhancement statute

On Sep. 10, 2025, Charlie KirkCharlie Kirk was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University and later died.

Authorities arrested and charged a 22-year-old suspect with aggravated murder; prosecutors announced they will seek the death penalty.

Officials reported a single long-range shot at a campus event with an estimated thousands in attendance; state officials called the killing a political assassination.

Federal and local law enforcement released footage and are investigating; some operational details reported in early accounts remain unverified in public records.

University officials closed campus briefly and launched independent security reviews after the shooting.

šŸ›”ļøNational Securityāš–ļøJustice

People, bills, and sources

What you can do

1

civic action

Request UVU security records under GRAMA

File a Utah Government Records Access and Management Act request for pre-event threat assessments and security plans for the Sep. 10, 2025 event.

2

civic action

Attend county commission meetings

Speak at Utah County Commission meetings to push for funding for campus event security and rooftop surveillance measures.

3

practicing

Advocate for event security standards

Contact state legislators to propose minimum security protocols for large public university events, such as perimeter checks and rooftop sweeps.

4

learning more

Follow public court filings

Monitor Utah County court records for charging documents and prosecutors' notices to learn precisely which statutes and aggravators are being invoked.