The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honored Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Wednesday evening with a moment of silence, following his assassination earlier in the day at Utah Valley University.
“Tonight, the Kennedy Center held a moment of silence to honor Charlie Kirk following his assassination today. May he rest in peace,” the Kennedy Center posted in a message on X, alongside a video of the tribute. President Donald Trump serves as Chairman of the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees, and first lady Melania Trump holds the role of Honorary Chair.
Kirk was shot in the neck during a student Q&A at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday afternoon. Deseret News reporters Emma Pitts and Eva Terry, who were covering the event, reported that after a gunshot rang out, Kirk’s body went limp and his eyes closed. Law enforcement agencies including SWAT teams, ATF Police, and others locked down the campus and conducted a manhunt for the shooter.
Turning Point USA confirmed Kirk’s death in a statement, asking that his family be kept in the public’s prayers:
It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gunshot that took place during Turning Point USA’s ‘The American Comeback Tour’ campus event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior, who suffered and died for Charlie. We asked that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers.
President Trump ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-mast until Sunday evening, calling Kirk a “truly Great American Patriot.” In a separate video statement, he described Kirk’s death as a “dark moment for America,” praising his role as a youth leader and his devotion to faith. Melania Trump also released a tribute, writing, “Charlie’s children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs instead of laughter, and silence where their father’s voice should have echoed.”
The sports world also joined in memorializing Kirk. The New York Yankees held a moment of silence before their game on Wednesday, sharing on social media, “Kirk founded the youth activist group ‘Turning Point USA’ and had become a fixture on college campuses. Charlie Kirk, a husband and father of two children, was 31 years old.” Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker thanked Kirk for his “strong witness for Christ,” and NFL stars Lamar Jackson, Brett Favre, Dez Bryant, Golden Tate, and Antonio Brown were among the athletes who paid tribute.
Celebrities across the political spectrum, including Chris Pratt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Aldean, Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore, and Candace Cameron Bure, also expressed condolences. Pratt wrote, “Praying for Charlie Kirk right now, for his wife and young children, for our country. We need God’s grace. God help us.”
Other celebrity reactions included calls for new gun restrictions. Star Trek actor George Takei remarked on Blue Sky that he hoped Kirk’s shooting would lead to “common sense limits on firearms,” referencing the example of James Brady. Author Stephen King similarly said on X that the attack was “another example of American gun violence,” even before details of the suspect were known.
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