US President Donald Trump on Wednesday condemned the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, calling him a “martyr for truth” and vowing a sweeping crackdown on political violence.

Kirk, co-founder of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA and a close Trump ally, was fatally shot while addressing a packed auditorium at Utah Valley University. Investigators believe a lone gunman dressed in black fired a single round from a rooftop, striking Kirk as he sat on stage. The assailant fled and remains at large, the Utah Department of Public Safety confirmed.

Video from the event captured chaos as the gunshot rang out, showing Kirk collapsing before the audience erupted in panic. Authorities have not released a motive, but officials described the killing as a targeted attack.

In a somber address posted to his Truth Social account, Trump condemned the shooting as a “heinous” and “dark moment for America.” He linked the killing to a broader pattern of politically motivated violence, citing the 2024 assassination attempt on his own life in Butler, Pennsylvania, and previous attacks on law enforcement and Republican lawmakers.

“For years, the radical left has compared patriots like Charlie to Nazis and criminals,” Trump said. “Their rhetoric has fueled terrorism in America, and it must stop right now.”

Pledging accountability, the President vowed to identify “each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity,” including organizations that “fund and encourage political violence.”

Trump urged Americans to recommit to “free speech, citizenship, and the rule of law”—values he said Kirk championed until his final moments.

“Because of this act, Charlie’s voice has become bigger than ever before,” Trump declared. “May God bless his memory, and may God protect his family.”

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday condemned the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, calling him a “martyr for truth” and vowing a sweeping crackdown on political violence.

Kirk, co-founder of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA and a close Trump ally, was fatally shot while addressing a packed auditorium at Utah Valley University. Investigators believe a lone gunman dressed in black fired a single round from a rooftop, striking Kirk as he sat on stage. The assailant fled and remains at large, the Utah Department of Public Safety confirmed.

Video from the event captured chaos as the gunshot rang out, showing Kirk collapsing before the audience erupted in panic. Authorities have not released a motive, but officials described the killing as a targeted attack.

In a somber address posted to his Truth Social account, Trump condemned the shooting as a “heinous” and “dark moment for America.” He linked the killing to a broader pattern of politically motivated violence, citing the 2024 assassination attempt on his own life in Butler, Pennsylvania, and previous attacks on law enforcement and Republican lawmakers.

“For years, the radical left has compared patriots like Charlie to Nazis and criminals,” Trump said. “Their rhetoric has fueled terrorism in America, and it must stop right now.”

Pledging accountability, the President vowed to identify “each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity,” including organizations that “fund and encourage political violence.”

Trump urged Americans to recommit to “free speech, citizenship, and the rule of law”—values he said Kirk championed until his final moments.

“Because of this act, Charlie’s voice has become bigger than ever before,” Trump declared. “May God bless his memory, and may God protect his family.”