Charlie Kirk assassination sparks bipartisan uproar over political violence as Utah manhunt underway

Lawmakers bridged the partisan divide on Wednesday after news that conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed from a gunshot wound Prayers for Kirk's recovery on social media swiftly turned into condolences to his family and a widespread condemnation of political violence from both Republicans and Democrats It s devastating news House Speaker Mike Johnson R-La mentioned The idea that political violence has taken one of the strongest voices on the conservative side is a great heartbreak Charlie was a close friend of mine and a confidant and he will be sorely missed and we need every political leader to decry the violence and to do it loudly The difficulty is in the human heart and it's gotten out of hand This is beyond terrible Sen Ruben Gallego D-Ariz announced Charlie Kirk was a husband father and son Violence is never the answer Sydney and I are keeping the Kirk family in our prayers President Donald Trump certified the news on Truth Social and explained No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie Kirk was shot during an event on his American Comeback Tour at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon The university initially disclosed that a suspect was in custody but later released that the person was issued Campus police on Wednesday afternoon questioned students to call a hotline and be escorted off Sen Mike Lee R-Utah called Kirk an American patriot an inspiration to countless young people to stand up and defend the timeless truths that make our country great This murder was a cowardly act of violence an attack on champions of freedom like Charlie the students who gathered for civil debate and all Americans who peacefully strive to save our nation he revealed The terrorists will not win he continued Charlie will Please join me in praying for his wife Erika and their children May justice be swift His death follows a wave of high-profile political assassination attempts in an increasingly polarized political conditions Trump survived two separate assassination attempts within weeks of each other while running for re-election in Meanwhile a gunman in Minnesota shot and killed state Rep Melissa Hortman and her husband while critically injuring another state lawmaker this past June This is a emerging news story and will be updated