ASSASSINATED

A MANHUNT was underway on Thursday after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally wounded at a university in Utah, a killing that sparked fears of worsening political violence in the United States.

President Donald Trump lashed out at the “radical left” after the shooting of Kirk, a powerful voice in conservative US politics at just 31 years old, and vowed to crack down on those responsible for what he described as “a dark moment for America”.

Trump said: “For years those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals.

“This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.

“My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity, and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it.”

Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Video from the scene showed him addressing a large crowd when the sound of a single shot rang out.

The father-of-two appeared to collapse in his chair before the camera swiftly moved and sounds of panic erupted in the audience.

The Utah Department of Public Safety said the shooter, dressed in dark clothing, fired from a nearby rooftop in what authorities called a “targeted attack”.

Students at the university described the shooting as “crazy” and “scary”.

“It makes me feel like I should be very careful about expressing my political ideas,” said Samuel Kimball, a software engineering student, told AFP.

“If I was someone considering going into politics, I’d be afraid to get shot.”

The shooter remained at large despite door-to-door searches by federal, state and local officers.

There was initial confusion over the manhunt, with FBI Director Kash Patel posting on social media platform X that the “subject” had been detained before walking that back an hour later.

Trump ordered flags on government buildings - including the White House - to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday in an illustration of how important Kirk was in the 79-year-old Republican's orbit.

Two men were briefly detained and released after being questioned by law enforcement officials as the manhunt continued.