Ireland's Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris have both responded to Wednesday's murder of Charlie Kirk, a leading conservative activist and commentator in the US.
"My thoughts and prayers go to the family and loved ones of Charlie Kirk after his horrific murder in Utah," the Taoiseach said early on Thursday, September 11, the day after Kirk was fatally shot.
"We think especially of his wife and young children today.
"There is no place for the gun in politics, no justification for violence in democratic debate."
My thoughts and prayers go to the family and loved ones of Charlie Kirk after his horrific murder in Utah. We think especially of his wife and young children today.
There is no place for the gun in politics, no justification for violence in democraticC debate.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) September 11, 2025
The Tánaiste separately said: "The killing of Charlie Kirk in Utah is appalling and shocking.
"Young children have lost a father and a wife has lost her husband needlessly.
"Such despicable acts of violence are utterly abhorrent."
The killing of Charlie Kirk in Utah is appalling and shocking.
Young children have lost a father and a wife has lost her husband needlessly.
Such despicable acts of violence are utterly abhorrent.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) September 11, 2025
Kirk, 31, was the founder and CEO of the conservative Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a nonprofit whose mission "is to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government." He was also the host of the hugely popular "Charlie Kirk Show" podcast and boasted millions of followers on social media.
Last year, Kirk said on social media that the defeat of Ireland's Family and Care referendums was "a big loss for woke progressives in Ireland" and said he was "genuinely happy for Ireland" after Leo Varadkar announced his resignation as Taoiseach.
On Wednesday, Kirk was speaking outdoors at Utah Valley University for a TPUSA "American Comeback Tour" event when he was shot at about 12:20 pm local time. He was transported to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Graphic footage of Kirk being shot in the neck and collapsing out of his chair has since circulated on social media.
Two people - George Zinn and Zachariah Qureshi - were arrested on Wednesday, but have both since been released. While Zinn was charged with obstruction by UVU police, authorities said on Wednesday that "there are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals."
On Thursday morning, Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Salt Lake City Field Office, said that the weapon believed to be used in Wednesday's shooting - "a high-powered bolt action rifle" - had been "recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled."
The FBI Laboratory will be analyzing the weapon, Bohls said, adding that investigators have also collected footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints for analysis.
Later on Thursday, the FBI's Salt Lake City Field Office published photos and asked for help identifying the "person of interest."
We are asking for the public's help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) September 11, 2025
1-800-CALL-FBI
Digital media tips: https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc
Kirk was a close ally of US President Donald Trump, who described the conservative activist as a "martyr for truth and freedom" in a video statement released via the White House on Wednesday night.
Despite the killer's identity and motive not yet being known on Wednesday, Trump sought to link Kirk's murder with what he called "radical liberal" rhetoric.
"It's long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree, day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible," 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, and it must stop right now."
He added: "Radical left political violence has hurt too many people and taken too many lives."
Trump has since ordered that the US flag be flown at half-staff until Sunday evening, September 14, "as a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk."
On Thursday, while speaking at a 9/11 commemoration event at The Pentagon, Trump further said that he will award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the US.
The moves have been seen as controversial by some after Trump declined to extend the same honors to Melissa Hortman, the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives who was murdered alongside her husband in a "politically motivated" shooting in their home in June.
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