By R Anil Kumar
The United States has a long and grim history of political violence, from presidential assassinations dating back to the killing of President Abraham Lincoln, Experts say the past few years, however, have most likely reached a level not seen since the tumultuous days of the 1960s and 1970s, when icons like Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated.
Often, those who engage in political violence don’t have clearly defined ideologies that easily map onto the country’s partisan divides.
Here’s a look at the long history of U.S. political shootings:
Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at a university in Utah on Wednesday, September 10, becoming the latest in a long string of victims of U.S. political violence.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed by a single shot in a targeted attack during an outdoor event Wednesday, September 10, at Utah Valley University, authorities said.
Kirk co-founded the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA and was a close ally of President Donald Trump.
Moments before the shooting
Video shows Kirk had been taking questions from an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.
“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” an audience member asked.
Kirk responded, “Too many.”
The questioner followed up: “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?”
“Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk asked.
Then a single shot rang out.
Thousands turned out for Kirk’s appearance and police were also present
Jeff Long, chief of Utah Valley University Police Department, says six officers working at Kirk’s campus event and more than 3,000 people were in attendance.
The police chief says his officers coordinated their operation with Kirk’s security team, and plainclothes police officers were also present.
At the time he was shot, Kirk was speaking to the throng in a low area surrounded by campus buildings.
Long said law enforcement tries to get the “bases covered.” But he added, “unfortunately today we didn’t, and because of that we have this tragic incident.”
Students, meanwhile, told The Associated Press they saw no metal detectors or bag checks. The amount of security appeared consistent with other speaking engagements on Kirk’s national tour.
Suspect released, shooter still at large: FBI director
The suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk has been released after an interrogation with law enforcement, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
“The suspect 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,” Patel said in a post on X.
FBI appeals to the public for information about the shooting
The FBI’s Salt Lake City office has added an online form to its website where the public can report information about Kirk’s killing.
The form says the FBI is “seeking information regarding the shooting at Utah Valley University that took place on September 10, 2025.”
It asks the person submitting the form to include their name and contact information and then includes a section for information about the incident.
Donald Trump Jr. says Kirk wasn’t a threat to anyone
In a lengthy social media post, President Trump’s son says Kirk wasn’t just a friend, but was “like a little brother to me” and a “true inspiration.”
Trump Jr. said Kirk “changed the direction of this nation” because “there is no question that Charlie’s work and his voice helped my father win the presidency.”
He said Kirk was civil and kind, and listened and responded with respect.
“The only `threat’ he ever posed was that he was incredibly effective. He was a powerful messenger of truth, and people heard that truth. That’s what made him a target.”
Utah governor says Kirk’s death carries a tragic message for the state of the country
Gov. Spencer Cox said that Kirk had come to the Utah Valley University campus to represent his conservative views and debate. Targeting people for their ideas threatens the country’s “constitutional foundations,” he said.
“We just need every single person in this country to think about where we are and where we want to be,” he said. “I don’t care what his politics are. I care that he was an American.”
Cox said the first of the inalienable rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence is “life, and today a life was taken.
Charlie Kirk was first and foremost a husband and a dad to young children. He was also very much politically involved. And that’s why he was here on campus. Charlie believed in the power of free speech and debate to shape ideas and to persuade people.”
Former President George W. Bush says violence must be `purged from the public square’
Bush lamented the killing and said “an open exchange of opposing ideas should be sacrosanct” on a college campus, where Kirk was shot.
In his statement, Bush added: “Members of other political parties are not our enemies; they are our fellow citizens.”
The Republican ex-president closed the statement by asking God to bless Kirk and his family and “guide America toward civility.”
Another former president, Democrat Bill Clinton, wrote on X that he was saddened and angered by the killing, adding he hoped “we all go through some serious introspection” and “redouble our efforts to engage in debate passionately, yet peacefully.”
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead at a Utah college event. President Trump confirmed the news of death of “great, and even legendary” Kirk. In his address, Trump assured action against those perpetrating political violence.
“My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it, as well as those who go after our judges, law enforcement officials, and everyone else who brings order to our country,” President Trump said.
And here’s just a sampling of some other attacks before that-The attempted assassination of Donald Trump in small-town Pennsylvania during his presidential campaign last year.
The United States has a long and grim history of political violence, from presidential assassinations dating back to the killing of President Abraham Lincoln. Experts say the past few years, however, have most likely reached a level not seen since the tumultuous days of the 1960s and 1970s, when icons like Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated.
Often, those who engage in political violence don’t have clearly defined ideologies that easily map onto the country’s partisan divides.
But, like clockwork, each political attack seems to inspire partisans to find evidence the attacker is on the other side.
Four US presidents who were assassinated were all shot
Abraham Lincoln was the first president to die by assassination. He was shot in the back of the head in 1865 during an appearance at Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC, by John Wilkes Booth, an actor in the play that night and Southern sympathizer. Booth fled the scene and was shot when he was captured weeks later in Virginia.
James Garfield was shot at a train station in Washington, DC, in July 1881. He died from his wounds, months later, in September, in New Jersey. Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau, a disaffected former supporter with mental illness who was angry at not getting a job in Garfield’s administration. Guiteau was convicted and hanged within the year.
William McKinley was shot in September 1901 in Buffalo, New York, by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist. McKinley was making an appearance at the Pan-American Exposition. He lingered for days in Buffalo before dying from his wounds. Czolgosz was later electrocuted.
John F. Kennedy was killed by a sniper, Lee Harvey Oswald, in Dallas in November 1963 as he was driven down a parade route in an open-topped limousine. Oswald, a Soviet sympathizer, was arrested shortly after the assassination. Oswald was himself killed by Jack Ruby in the basement of the Dallas police station.
Ronald Reagan (1981)
U.S. President Ronald Reagan was shot and seriously wounded as he left an event at the Hilton hotel in Washington. The attacker was John Hinckley Jr., who was granted unconditional release in 2022.
Reagan spent twelve days in the hospital. The incident boosted his popularity, as he displayed humour and resilience during his recovery.
(With Inputs from X and AP)
