Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan.

The influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, died today

after being shot at an appearance at Utah Valley University in Urum, Utah.

Kirk launched his organization in 2012, targeting young voters to join the Republican Party and venturing

onto liberal-leaning university campuses where many conservatives often would not go.

He was taking questions about school shootings when one shot rang out. He was struck in the neck

and died a few hours later. Utah's Governor Spencer Cock and other officials brief reporters

a short time ago. Our nation is broken. We've had political assassinations recently in Minnesota.

We had an attempted assassination on the governor of Pennsylvania, and we had an attempted assassination

on a presidential candidate and former president of the United States and now current

president of the United States. Nothing I say can unite us as a country. Nothing I can say right

now can fix what is broken. Nothing I can say

can bring back Charlie Kirk. The governor says a person of interest is in custody. Shortly before

the news that Charlie Kirk had died at an event at the Utah, the House Speaker Mike Johnson

led the House in a moment of silence.

On his way to the House floor, Speaker Johnson called for prayers for Kirk and his family.

He says political violence violates the country's core principles.

We need every political figure. We need everyone who has a platform to say this loudly and clearly.

We can settle disagreements and disputes

in a civil manner, and political violence must be called out, and it has to stop.

Republicans and Democrats alike are echoing the Speaker's call, saying that political

violence is never acceptable. Deirdre Walsh, NPR News, the Capitol.

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