During the aftermath, two men, one of whom claimed to have fired the shot, were taken into custody but later released without charges. A manhunt is ongoing for the actual shooter.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated that those responsible will be held accountable, outlining the state’s commitment to justice.

President Donald Trump condemned the political climate surrounding Kirk’s death, blaming extreme rhetoric and violence.

In a statement, he remembered Kirk as a patriot who advocated for open debate. Following the incident, vigils were held nationwide, and classes at the university have been cancelled.

Ongoing Investigation

As investigations continue, American flags will fly at half-staff until Sunday in honour of Kirk.

“I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, told a news conference.

“And I just want to remind people that we still have the death penalty here in the state of Utah.

The Utah Department of Public Safety said that its State Crime Lab was “working with multiple active crime scenes”.

“These were identified based on where the victim was shot, as well as the locations where the suspect and victim travelled,” a department statement said.

“The shooting is believed to be a targeted attack. The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard.”

Eyewitness account

Attendee Tiana Lao said the shooting came as a shock in what otherwise felt like an= normal event.

“We didn’t realise it was real at first and then everyone began rushing out, shouting to get down in panic and distress,” she told ABC News.

“People were excited. There were some opponents like there usually are at these events … but they were peaceful, so this was a total shock.”