Raydon DeChene was listening to Charlie Kirk speak about gun control at an event at Utah Valley University when he collapsed, blood everywhere.

Raydon DeChene was one of more than 3,000 people, mostly students, who attended conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s event at Utah Valley University (UVU) on September 10. It was an outdoor discussion with the familiar message “Prove Me Wrong,” where Kirk invited students to question his views on American politics and society.

DeChene said before the debate began, the crowd was “very happy” enjoying the event’s lively atmosphere and chanting the name of Kirk, one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies and a major influence in the 2024 election.

Kirk then took turns answering questions from students about mass shootings in the US, especially the Minneapolis shooting in August where the suspect was said to be transgender. The first person asked: “Do you know how many shootings in the last 10 years have been committed by transgender people?”

Kirk replied, “There have been too many,” to applause. The man continued to ask for the total number of shootings during the same period, and just as Kirk took the microphone to speak, an explosion rang out.

Charlie Kirk (center) speaks on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10 before he was assassinated. Photo: AP

“I was standing right in the front row and I heard a bang from behind me, toward the hills. He was holding his neck, blood everywhere, his eyes rolled back,” DeChene said. “It was ironic that he was talking about gun control when he got shot.”

She said everyone immediately dropped to the ground and ran away when someone shouted “Run!”.

“There was a lot of blood. After the shot, everyone immediately dropped to the ground. My colleague Eva Terry and I hugged each other, trying to hide. Within a minute, the crowd started running. The whole university was evacuated,” Emma Pitts, a Deseret News reporter at the scene, recalled.

The moment Charlie Kirk was shot. Video: X/IAmyLeigh

Jordan Last, a student at Utah Valley University, said he arrived at noon to prepare to debate Kirk if he was chosen. “I was about 15-30 meters away, on the right side of the stage. The first question had just ended, they were starting the second question, and I heard a loud noise,” he said, describing the moment his idol was shot.

Max Stanley, a baseball player at UVU, said he was further away and also heard the gunshots clearly. Shortly after, Stanley saw “Kirk’s body fall like in slow motion.” Kirk later died from his injuries.

Several witnesses said security at the event was lax, with few police officers and no metal detectors. A man standing just a few feet from Kirk told ABC4 : “Nobody checked tickets, anyone could just walk in. There were so many entrances and exits, it was easy to get in.”

Crowds of spectators ran away in panic after hearing gunshots. Photo: AP

UVU Police Chief Jeffrey Long said only six uniformed officers were on duty, along with several plainclothes undercover officers hidden in the crowd. “We train for this, we thought we were prepared, but unfortunately this still happened. We always try to anticipate every situation, and today we failed,” Long said.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced that an “individual of interest” had been detained, but police later said the person had been released after questioning and the actual suspect had not been arrested. Authorities are appealing to the public for information.

The shooting shocked not only students but also faculty. A mathematics professor at UVU shared: “I used to watch Charlie Kirk on YouTube, he has many controversial views, but that does not justify gun violence. I saw students crying, running away from campus. This is a haunting experience for everyone.”

Utah State Police inspect the UVU campus after the assassination. Photo: AP

Kirk, 31, is the co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA), which supports President Trump. He founded TPUSA when he was 18, turning it into the largest student political movement in the country, organizing conferences, media campaigns and mobilizing young voters.

Kirk also hosts a political podcast, frequently criticizing the Democratic Party and liberal movements. He is known for his public debates, which attract both conservative college students and dissidents.

The incident shocked American politics, with both parties condemning the political violence. Republican Senator Mike Lee called it a heinous act of political terrorism, while Democratic politicians also expressed their condolences and called for an end to hateful messages in the country’s political life.

“No one knew the heart of young America better than Charlie. He was loved by all, especially me, and now he is no longer with us,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social, then ordered flags to be flown at half-staff nationwide until September 14 in memory.