Just one shot was all it took.
Charlie Kirk, 31, founder of Turning Point USA, was struck in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. He died almost instantly, leaving thousands of attendees in shock and the nation reeling.
U.S. Army Sgt. Nicholas Ranstad, an elite sniper known for the longest American kill in Afghanistan, shared his analysis of how the attack unfolded. He believes the shooter was not a trained soldier but an “internet shooter” who likely taught themselves how to handle firearms. “They’re probably just an internet shooter, not a sniper or trained soldier,” Ranstad told the Daily Mail.
Kirk was addressing a packed courtyard when the shot was fired from high ground. Ranstad called the setting a “fishbowl” — open-air, surrounded by multi-level buildings, and poorly secured. “The security was super light … that’s a buffet for someone who wanted to kill someone,” he said. He estimated the fatal shot traveled over 200 yards.
Authorities confirmed the shooter likely fired from the roof of the Losee Center. Despite six officers and plainclothes police working the event, more than 3,000 people left panicked after the gunfire.
Investigators recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle and a footprint in a wooded area nearby. FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls said they have an image of the suspect, described as college-aged, and are “exhausting every resource” to find them.
Ranstad emphasized the precision of the attack, contrasting it with mass shootings. “This was one shot, that was it. They had a plan,” he explained, suggesting the shooter prepared an escape route.
Two people detained immediately after the shooting were released, having no ties to Kirk’s death.
President Trump honored Kirk in a video statement, calling him “a martyr for truth and freedom” and ordering U.S. flags flown at half-staff.
As the investigation continues, questions about security failures and the planning behind the attack remain at the forefront, while supporters mourn the sudden loss of one of the country’s most visible conservative activists.
