The assassination of conservative activist and television host Charlie Kirk at a speaking engagement in Utah is the latest chilling incident in a growing problem of political violence in the United States.
The assassination follows two similar attempts on then-candidate Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. Like the now-president, Kirk was addressing a crowd of supporters at a speaking event on the campus of Utah Valley University. Kirk rose to fame as a conservative activist for his mission to bring the conservative message to college students.
But the assassination against the Turning Point USA co-founder is not an isolated incident. The organization, which Kirk founded in 2012 when he was just 18 years old to bring his message to campuses across the country, has faced threats from far-left groups and violent protests for years. Kirk had also faced personal threats from at least two individuals, who were both charged with threatening to attack Kirk or one of his political conventions.
