Politics

Charlie Kirk's alleged shooter scrawled political messages on the equipment brought to the murder scene ... expressing support for the transgender community while making antifascist remarks.

A bulletin -- posted online by conservative commentator Steven Crowder -- was sent around to agents in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. We've confirmed the authenticity of the bulletin with our federal law enforcement sources.

In the message, the ATF claims "All cartridges have engraved wording on them, expressing transgender and anti-fascist ideology." It does not get more specific as to what the messages say.

Former Congressman Jason Chaffetz was in the crowd when conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a university in Utah, and he says America can't let the tragedy stop folks with different views from voicing their opinions in a civilized manner.

Jason joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked him what Charlie's killing means for the future of America, and political events and gatherings held in public spaces ... like the campus tour Charlie was doing when he was shot dead.

Harvey and Jason go way back and have always had spirited and civil debates on a host of issues they disagree on ... and Jason says that's the spirit Charlie embodied, and it's something we can't lose sight of as a country.

Joe Rogan and Charlie Sheen learned about Charlie Kirk getting shot live on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast ... and you can see their raw reactions in a chilling video.

Check out the sobering clip -- the podcaster and TV personality is nearly speechless as his production team delivers the horrible news. Sheen, meanwhile, notes that this was a political assassination and that no one deserves to die for having a different view from someone else.

Once Joe is able to gather his thoughts, he denounces anyone celebrating the tragedy, reiterating that Charlie was a "pretty reasonable" guy who simply debated people across the U.S. He goes on to lament about the current political climate in the U.S., explaining that he believes people have fallen into a polarizing "trap."

Charlie Kirk's supporters have been paying tribute to him since he was shot to death on Wednesday ... and, a few of his close friends in Congress are trying to immortalize him on Capitol Hill forever.

12 Republicans in the House of Representatives signed a letter addressed to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson ... which begins by laying out Wednesday's tragic events before highlighting all the good Kirk's done via Turning Point USA.

The letter calls out the political left for creating "a toxic environment where one side finds it acceptable to stoke fear and violence to silence civil dissent" ... then asks Speaker Johnson to direct that a statue of Kirk be placed in the United States Capitol.

Charlie Kirk's shooting almost didn't seem real at first to one attendee ... who was in line to ask the conservative commentator a question when he was shot through the neck.

We spoke with Robert Carpenter, who went to the event Wednesday specifically to debate Kirk. Robert's not a Utah Valley University student ... he does on-the-street interviews with people -- and likes to ask UVU attendees questions when he's in town.

Carpenter says he and his buddy gave a woman in line $40 to cut her ... and, they were around fifth or sixth in line to ask a question.

The Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C. was swarmed by police after a bomb threat was called in.

A DNC spokesperson tells TMZ ... “This afternoon, there was a bomb threat to DNC HQ that was determined to not be credible by the U.S. Capitol Police. Out of an abundance of caution, Capitol Police is conducting an interior sweep of the building. As DNC Chair Ken Martin has said, political violence in every form has no place in our country. We are grateful to the U.S. Capitol Police and DNC building security for responding quickly and professionally.”

Charlie Kirk's shooting death led to a hasty evacuation of the Utah Valley University campus ... and, a drone camera captured the deserted quad shortly after the incident.

New video taken from the sky shows the area ... first focused on the tent under which Kirk was sitting when he was shot in the neck at the school.

Trash and other debris sit scattered on the steps surrounding the pop-up canopy ... before the drone flies over to the roof where the shooter allegedly fired at Charlie, about 200 yards away.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk has rocked the country, and it's hit Donald Trump and his family especially hard ... POTUS and the influential activist were close friends.

#47's golf star granddaughter Kai Trump also spent a lot of time with Kirk ... and now she's opening up about the horrific incident.

"I am deeply saddened to hear the news about Charlie Kirk," the 18-year-old said on her Instagram story. "My heart goes out to his wife, Erika, and their two children."

18-year-old Kai also talked about the Trumps' friendship with Kirk.

Charlie Kirk will receive America's highest civilian honor ... with President Donald Trump announcing he's going to posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

POTUS spoke outside the Pentagon on 9/11 to mark the 24th anniversary of that tragedy ... but, he started out by speaking about the conservative commentator who was shot to death Wednesday in Utah.

He called Charlie a giant of his generation, and a champion of liberty ... before adding the administration's thoughts and prayers are with Kirk's family.

Savannah Chrisley is left shaken following the death of her friend, Charlie Kirk ... who she was set to join on tour before he was fatally shot.

As news broke that Kirk had succumbed to his injuries sustained during a shooting at Utah Valley University Wednesday, Chrisley released a video statement on her TikTok account ... where she fought back tears and revealed just how close she was to the conservative pundit.

Watch the vid, Chrisley explained how the Turning Point founder supported her amid her work to free parents Todd and Julie Chrisley from prison the past couple years -- the couple was pardoned by President Donald Trump this past spring after being convicted for tax evasion and fraud back in 2022.

The FBI has recovered a "high-powered bolt-action rifle" near the campus of Utah Valley University following the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at his "The American Comeback" tour stop on Wednesday.

Robert Bohls, the FBI special agent in charge, revealed the news in a press conference Thursday morning, adding the weapon was located in a wooded area.

He also told media investigators have collected a palm imprint, a forearm imprint and a "footwear impression" belonging to the suspect -- a male -- that will be sent for analysis.

Pat McAfee is weighing in on Charlie Kirk's death ... saying politics aside, it's "startling, saddening and maddening" for someone to lose their life over their opinions.

The ESPN talent and host released a lengthy statement on Wednesday ... hours after the Turning Point USA founder was assassinated, while hosting an event at Utah Valley University.

"I've realized that I’m a bit naive to how crazy it all has become but watching a man get hunted and slayed in broad daylight because of his opinions made me disgusted and devastated," McAfee said.

MSNBC has cut ties with political analyst Matthew Dowd ... following his controversial on-air remarks moments after Charlie Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University, TMZ has confirmed.

ICYMI ... Dowd was asked about "the environment in which a shooting like this happens" -- and he pointed to Kirk, saying, "He’s been one of the most divisive ... who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions."

He went on to say ... "You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place. And that’s the unfortunate environment we are in.”

Charlie Kirk was loving every minute of his college campus tour, was in great spirits and never indicated he had any concerns about his personal safety ... according to a friend who talked to the conservative activist the day before he was fatally shot in the neck in Utah.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... Charlie talked to a buddy for about 20 minutes over the phone Tuesday, and during the call Charlie was looking forward to his upcoming Turning Point USA events and speaking opportunities.

We're told Charlie never voiced any concerns about his safety while on the road ... and in extensive conversations with his friend, Kirk had never once spoken about his personal safety, at a public event or anywhere else.

Stephen Colbert opened "The Late Show" Wednesday with a somber note, paying respect to Charlie Kirk following his death and sending his condolences to his family and loved ones.

He also shared a sobering message with viewers, noting Wednesday's senseless shooting is reminiscent to the political violence he viewed in the 1960s.

He said ... "I hope it is obvious to everyone in America that political violence does not solve any of our political differences. Political violence only leads to more political violence, and I pray with all my heart that this is the abhorrent action of a madman and not a sign of things to come."

Rep. Melanie Stansbury says President Trump and top Republicans are working together to prevent the public from getting to the bottom of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

The Congresswoman from New Mexico joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we asked her about the Trump references in the Epstein birthday book that was just released by Congress.

Stansbury, a Democrat, says Trump has known what Epstein's been about for decades ... and she says the President is now working to prevent the full release of all the Epstein files.