Well-known American conservative activist and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, Charlie Kirk, was fatally shot while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday.

Kirk, 31, was addressing an outdoor crowd of roughly 3,000 people at the first of at least 15 scheduled stops on a nationwide tour organised by Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the conservative group he cofounded.

While Kirk was taking questions from the audience, a single gunshot rang out from somewhere on campus. Kirk was then seen clutching his neck and collapsing from his chair, with blood gushing from the wound. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

Two individuals were briefly detained in connection with the shooting but were released after questioning, with authorities confirming they were not linked to the crime. The shooter remains at large, and a manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, is ongoing.

Below is a timeline outlining the sequence of events.

12:00-12:10 pm

Just after noon (18:10 GMT), the “American Comeback Tour” event began outdoors. Kirk was seated at a table onstage under a white pop-up tent marked “Prove Me Wrong” and was answering audience questions.

Before the event, a petition urged UVU to block Kirk from speaking, but the university allowed his attendance, in line with its free speech policies.

Kirk was accompanied by private security, with extra protection provided by UVU police and local law enforcement.

12:10-12:20 pm

A few minutes into the event, Kirk was answering questions from the audience, including one about mass shootings involving transgender individuals.

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The exchange unfolded as follows:

• Audience member: Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?
• Kirk: Too many.
• Audience member: Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?
• Kirk: Counting or not counting gang violence?

Right then, a single shot is heard.

Kirk is then seen clutching his neck and collapsing from his chair, with blood gushing from the wound, prompting attendees to panic and flee the scene.

Individual seen running on the roof

Moments after the shooting, a video captured from inside a nearby building (at 2 seconds in) shows an individual running across the roof of the Losee Center, a campus building 100-200 yards (about 90-180 metres) from the event.

A video shot from a different angle shows what appears to be an individual wearing dark clothing on top of the Losee Center before the shooting.

UVU spokesperson Ellen Treanor later said the shot came from the Losee Center about 20 minutes after Kirk began speaking.

Drone footage of the campus, taken after everyone was evacuated, shows police tape cordoning off a section of the Losee Center’s roof. The distance from the corner of the Losee Center to where Kirk was sitting is approximately 140 yards (130 metres), well within the effective range of most rifles.

Kirk rushed to hospital in critical condition

Kirk was removed from the stage by his security detail and other staff; he was placed into a vehicle and rushed to a local hospital.

The Associated Press news agency reported at about 1:45pm that a source had informed them Kirk was in “critical condition” at the hospital.

Death reported by President Trump

At 2:40pm, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Kirk had died.

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Utah Governor Spencer Cox described the shooting of Kirk as a “political assassination” and expressed deep concern over the state of national discourse.

Manhunt under way

Authorities have confirmed that the shooter remains at large, and a manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, is ongoing.

They have urged the public to come forward with any information that could assist in the investigation.