What started as a lively student Q&A session quickly turned into chaos when conservative activist Charlie Kirk was gunned down on stage at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
The shocking moment left students and attendees screaming, scrambling for safety, and struggling to process what had just unfolded in front of them.
Confusion Over an Elderly Man’s Arrest
Amid the pandemonium, an elderly man with white hair was seen being dragged away by police officers.
Video from the scene showed furious witnesses shouting at him, one even yelling, “How dare you, you f***ing monster!” as the man was escorted away with his trousers partly down.
At first, many assumed he was the gunman.
But university officials later clarified that he was not believed to be the shooter, despite reports suggesting he made disturbing remarks about the incident while being detained.
Shooter Still on the Run
Authorities confirmed that the actual gunman had not been caught.
According to university spokesperson Scott Trotter, the shot came from the top of the Losee Center, about 200 feet from where Kirk was seated on stage.
Police quickly locked down the campus as heavily armed officers flooded the area in search of the suspect.
Witnesses Describe the Horror
Several attendees recounted the terrifying scene.
Witness Justin Hickens told NBC News that he saw Kirk hit in the neck and collapse as blood poured out.
“I saw his body kind of kick back and go limp, and everybody dropped to the ground,” he said.
Another witness, Sophie Anderson, who was only about 100 feet from the stage, said she instinctively ran for cover when she heard the gunfire.
“The second it happened, I knew it was a gunshot,” she recalled.
Anderson, nearly trampled in the rush, hid in a closet inside the campus food court.
Kirk’s Final Moments Before the Attack
Just minutes before tragedy struck, Kirk had posted an upbeat message on X, celebrating the return of his tour.
At 2:23 p.m. EST, he wrote: “WE. ARE. SO. BACK. Utah Valley University is FIRED UP and READY for the first stop back on the American Comeback Tour.”
The event was the opening stop of his “Great American Comeback Tour,” though it had already drawn controversy, with more than 7,000 people signing a petition to bar him from the campus.
Trump and Vance React with Grief
Not long after the shooting, President Donald Trump confirmed the devastating news that Kirk had died.
He praised Kirk as someone “loved and admired” in political circles and expressed condolences to Kirk’s wife, Erika, and their family.
“Charlie, we love you,” Trump wrote, adding that he and Melania were praying for the family.
Vice President JD Vance echoed the heartbreak on X, asking Americans to pray for Kirk, whom he described as “a genuinely good guy and a young father.”
A Community in Shock
The Utah Valley University campus was evacuated immediately after the attack, and all classes were canceled until further notice.
Students described scenes of terror, confusion, and disbelief as the event descended into panic.
Law enforcement has launched a massive manhunt for the shooter, but as of late Wednesday, the gunman remains at large.