What we know about death of close Trump ally

Charlie Kirk, an influential conservative activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead while speaking at an event at a university in Utah.

There's still a lot that is unclear about the incident but here is what we do know.

Kirk, 31, had been invited to Utah Valley University (UVU) and was seated under a white gazebo addressing a crowd of about 3,000 people in the quad - an outdoor bowl courtyard.

According to eyewitnesses and videos taken at the scene, he was responding to a question about gun violence when a single shot rang out around 12:20 local time.

Kirk can be seen recoiling in his chair, blood on his neck, before the terrified crowd starts running.

"I heard a loud shot, a loud bang and then I saw his body actually - in slow motion - kind of fall over," one eyewitness told reporters.

"We all dropped to the ground, and I want to say we sat like that for about 30 to 45 seconds, and then everyone around us got up and started running," said Emma Pitts, a reporter from the Deseret News who was at the scene.

Kirk was rushed to hospital in a private vehicle - his death was confirmed by Trump hours later.

The university campus was evacuated, as authorities hunt for the shooter.

Kirk's wife and two children were on campus at the time, but are safe. No-one else was injured.

Authorities say this was an assassination - but we don't know who shot Kirk, or why.

Two people were arrested in the hours after the incident and later released. They have "no current ties" to the fatal incident, Utah officials have said.

"This shooting is still an active investigation," the Department of Public Safety - which covers law enforcement in the state - said in its latest update.

A large manhunt for the shooter is under way. The BBC's Regan Morris, who is at the campus, said it has been locked down and heavily armed police were going door-to-door.

Law enforcement officials say the killer is believed to have fired the fatal shot from the roof of a building near the courtyard where Kirk was speaking. They have said they are studying CCTV from the university and believe the suspect was "dressed in dark clothing".

BBC Verify has been examining videos posted on social media, which people are claiming may show a "shooter" on the roof of a university building in the aftermath of the attack.

We zoomed in on the image, but the quality is too poor to make out what the dark shape pictured is.

Using features of the building shown, we identified it as UVU's Losee Center – which a campus spokesperson has said is where the shot came from.

The video was posted on X after the shooting. We cannot verify when it was filmed.

Kirk was one of the most high-profile conservative activists and media personalities in the US and a trusted ally of president Trump. He was a guest at his inauguration and a regular visitor to the White House.

As an 18-year-old in 2012, he co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a student organisation that aims to spread conservative ideals at liberal-leaning US colleges.

He became known for holding open-air debates on campuses across the country, fielding rapid-fire questions in a signature "change-my-mind"-style - just like he was doing on Wednesday at the time he was shot.

His social media and daily podcast often shared clips of him debating people on issues such as gun rights, climate change, faith and family values.

He has, however, attracted criticism for promoting controversial and at times conspiratorial beliefs. He spread anti-transgender views and skepticism over the Covid-19 pandemic, according to CBS, the BBC's news partner. He also publicly promoted the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump.

Kirk is considered by others to be a champion of free speech, is credited with playing a key role in convincing younger voters to turn out for Trump in last year's election, and became valued within the administration for his keen understanding of the grassroots Maga movement.

There has been an outpouring of grief and anger from across the political spectrum in the US.

"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie," Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.

"He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me," the president added, ordering that all flags be flown at half-mast across the country.

All living former US presidents have also offered their condolences. Joe Biden, Trump's predecessor, said there is "no place in our country for this kind of violence", while Barack Obama called the shooting a "despicable act" and said his family was praying for Kirk's loved ones.

Likewise a string of key White House officials have expressed their sorrow - including Health Secretary RFK Jr and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Nancy Pelosi and Gabrielle Giffords, Democrat lawmakers who both have been the targets of political violence, also released statements condemning the shooting.

"Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence," said Giffords, who survived being shot in the head in 2011.

UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer responded similarly. "We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear," he said in a statement offering his sympathy.

Italy's Prime Minister Girogia Meloni said the "atrocious murder" was "a deep wound for democracy" while Argentinian President Javier Milei paid tribute to Kirk as "a formidable disseminator of the ideas of freedom and staunch defender of the West".