A college campus, a fiery speaker — and then a single gunshot
September 10, 2025
A crowd gathered around a white canopy on a grassy college courtyard just weeks into the fall semester, eager to hear what the speaker beneath it had to say. It was a typical university scene, with its promise of the free exchange of ideas and debate, except in one way: its size. This speaker was Charlie Kirk, one of the most influential voices in President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, and the event Wednesday at Utah Valley University drew more than 3,000 people. As he answered a question about gun violence, a gunshot cracked.