Fans Wear Charlie Kirk Tribute Shirts at Yankees-Tigers Game Amid Ongoing Investigation into His Death

Two spectators seated near the field at Yankee Stadium displayed shirts honoring Charlie Kirk during the New York Yankees’ game against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night, days after the conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder was fatally shot on a Utah college campus.

One fan wore a shirt that read "Charlie" and the other wore a shirt that read "Kirk," witnesses and photographs showed. The Yankees held a moment of silence before the game and displayed Kirk’s photo on the stadium videoboard, the team said on social media.

President Donald Trump, who attended the game as part of the Yankees’ Sept. 11 remembrance activities, met with players before the contest and spoke with Aaron Judge, telling him he was a "fantastic player," according to accounts from the stadium.

Kirk, 31, was shot around 12:20 p.m. local time Wednesday on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem as he spoke to a crowd that included many college students. Authorities said he was struck by a single bullet and later died. Investigators released photos and video of a person they said is wanted in connection with the shooting but had not publicly identified a suspect as of Thursday.

The killing prompted responses across the sports world and beyond, with several teams and figures publicly commenting in the hours after the announcement. The Yankees’ social media post announcing the pregame moment of silence noted the team held the tribute "in memoriam of Charlie Kirk." The organization also showed his image on its videoboard during the ceremony.

The shooting remains under investigation, with law enforcement continuing to seek leads and urging anyone with information to come forward. Officials have provided additional descriptive images of the individual they are searching for, and the probe is ongoing.

Elsewhere in professional sports, the Carolina Panthers dismissed a staff member for insensitive social media posts related to the assassination, the team confirmed, underscoring how the incident reverberated through multiple athletic organizations.

Kirk founded Turning Point USA, an organization focused on conservative activism on college campuses. He is survived by his spouse and two children. News reports and law enforcement accounts have provided those details as local and federal authorities coordinate investigative efforts on the Utah shooting.

The Yankees and other teams have continued scheduled events tied to the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks while incorporating tributes and moments of reflection for Kirk amid an ongoing national investigation and public discussion about the circumstances of his death.