Charlie Kirk Shooting

We want to address something that happened during our TMZ Livestream coverage of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

As Harvey and Charles were reporting the developments in our newsroom, there were employees in another part of the building watching a car chase.

The people watching that car chase began laughing and clapping in reaction to what they were seeing, but we want to make it clear ... they were not cheering in response to the assassination.

Nevertheless ... watching a car chase at that moment was tone deaf, and the sounds of laughter at that crucial moment were totally out of line.

TMZ has uncovered the chilling dispatch audio from the shooting of Charlie Kirk Wednesday.

Take a listen to the audio -- you can hear responders briefing their counterparts over the radio ... alerting that an individual had been shot at Utah Valley University and the location of the shooter is unknown.

It sounds like another person was injured during the chaos that ensued after shots rang out at the political activist's "American Comeback" Tour with Turning Point USA, and responders confirm officers are following the victim -- Charlie -- to the hospital.

2:22 PM PT -- Turning Point USA tells TMZ ... "It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gun shot that took place during Turning Point USA’s “The American Comeback Tour” campus event at Utah Valley University on September 10th, 2025.

May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior who suffered and died for Charlie. We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers. We ask that you please respect their privacy and dignity in this time."

Charlie Kirk -- the controversial conservative commentator -- has died after being shot in the neck on a college campus, Donald Trump announced on social media.

POTUS made the announcement on his site Truth Social Wednesday afternoon, claiming Kirk had died after sustaining injuries from a shooting at the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, UT.

As you know ... Kirk was shot around 1 PM local time at a Q&A with students where hundreds of people, including some protesters, had gathered.

Charlie Kirk earned himself plenty of supporters over the course of his life ... including his wife of several years, Erika Kirk.

The conservative commentator and his wife had been together for several years and had started a family prior to his death in September 2025.

We're going to take a look into the background of the media figure's spouse and see how they built a life together before he was fatally shot on a college campus.

Erika's originally from Arizona, and she began participating in beauty pageants in her home state at an early age.

She was named the runner-up during the Miss Arizona USA 2011 competition, and she went on to win the competition the following year.

Erika competed in the 2012 Miss USA competition, although she ultimately lost to Olivia Culpo.

She remained in her home state for college, and she earned degrees in political science and international relations from Arizona State University. She later headed to Liberty University, where she earned a juris master in American Legal Studies.

Erika gave a bit of insight into her relationship with Kirk in a post shared on her Instagram account in 2023, when she revealed they'd first crossed paths five years earlier.

The pair dated for several years before they tied the knot during a wedding ceremony in May 2021.

Charlie and Erika started their family with the birth of their daughter, which took place the following August.

The political commentator and his wife expanded their family when the latter gave birth to a son in May 2024.

Erika became a widow in September 2025, when her husband was fatally shot at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Her husband was speaking with students from the university when he was suddenly shot in the neck while answering a question about transgender mass shooters.

Charlie was later transported to a hospital, where he was initially listed as being in critical condition before he died.

5:15 PM PT -- The person of interest connected to the Charlie Kirk fatal shooting is no longer in custody ... they've been released after talking to law enforcement.

FBI Director Kash Patel just posted on social media, "The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency."

A person of interest connected to the Charlie Kirk shooting is in custody ... according officials in Utah.

At the press conference in Utah moments ago, Utah Governor Spencer Cox clarified that they have a person of interest in custody.

Shortly before the press conference, FBI Director Kash Patel posted to social media ... claiming a suspect was in custody.