Attendees at a Utah campus event described scenes of chaos and fear after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during a speech on Wednesday night.
Kirk, 31, a prominent influencer and close ally of Donald Trump, was hit in the neck by a single bullet. Police believe the shot came from a rooftop near the venue at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was addressing around 3,000 people as part of his American Comeback Tour.
Videos circulating online show Kirk discussing gun violence just moments before the attack.
One witness told CBS: “Me and my buddies were having a good time just listening, then we heard a loud bang and saw his body fall over.”
Porter LaFerber, a student who said he was a “big fan,” recalled sitting about 50 feet away when the shooting happened. “I was filming him, then I heard the shot. Charlie falls off his stool, everyone starts panicking,” he said. LaFerber hid behind a cement terrace before running to safety.
Tiana Lao, 20, attended with her housemate. “I was shaking uncontrollably,” she said, describing how both cried as the crowd rushed to escape.
Another witness, Danielle, who was just 15 feet from Kirk, told Reuters: “It was horrible. All I hear is screaming and people running. I just kept saying, ‘Please God, please God, I don’t want to die.’”
Former congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was at the event with his daughter, told Fox News: “The shot came straight at him. Everyone hit the deck and scattered.”
Adam Bartholomew, who had been interviewing counter-protesters nearby, said the crowd first dropped to the floor, then scrambled for exits. “Several people are in tears,” he added.
Footage shows panicked attendees fleeing as a figure appeared on the rooftop about 130 meters away from Kirk.
Phil Lyman, a former Utah state representative, said he had just been on stage with Kirk minutes before the shooting. “Three thousand kids basically watched somebody shot right in front of them. It’s really traumatic. Really, really rough,” he said.
Two 17-year-old attendees, Grace Dishman and Grace Baird, said they never imagined experiencing something like this. “I just want to hug my mom,” Baird told the BBC.
Emma Pitts, a reporter with the Deseret News, said she was shocked at the lack of security. “Nobody scanned our equipment, nobody scanned our bags,” she said. Bartholomew echoed that point, adding, “Nobody stopped me or searched my bag.”
The university confirmed it had six security officers present along with Kirk’s private detail. Students were later locked down until early morning while police searched for the gunman.
“It’s unsettling around campus right now,” student Brock Anderson said. “I’m just trying to walk home, and it’s unsettling.”
