Yankees hold moment of silence for Charlie Kirk after Utah shooting
New York paused before its game with Detroit and displayed a photo on the scoreboard after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and later died at a Utah campus event
The New York Yankees held a moment of silence before Wednesday night's game against the Detroit Tigers to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and later died at a speaking event in Utah earlier that day.
The team displayed a photograph of Kirk on the main scoreboard at Yankee Stadium with the message "remembering Charlie Kirk" and posted on X that it had "held a moment of silence in memoriam of Charlie Kirk. Kirk founded the youth activist group ‘Turning Point USA’ and had become a fixture on college campuses. Charlie Kirk, a husband and father of two children, was 31 years old." The post said Kirk was declared dead shortly after being shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University.
Law enforcement and media reports said the shooting occurred Wednesday at a Utah Valley University event where video posted from the scene showed Kirk speaking under a white pop-up tent when the gunfire rang out. Witnesses in the footage are heard shouting "Run, run, run!" as the crowd dispersed. Kirk was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dead, according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press.
The FBI said "the subject" of the shooting is in custody. Authorities have not released the identity of a suspect or provided additional details about a possible motive.
Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization that became prominent on college campuses. His death drew messages from public figures across politics and sports. Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us." Trump said his sympathies were with Kirk's wife and family.
The incident prompted emotional responses from several figures in the sports world, including former Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira and New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who commented publicly after news of Kirk's death. The Yankees' moment of silence came before their home game with Detroit, where the team paused play, and fans observed the tribute on the jumbotron.
Kirk had been a prominent and polarizing figure in conservative politics and campus activism since founding Turning Point USA. The group and Kirk frequently appeared at college events and in national political conversations. Authorities continue to investigate the shooting; the FBI involvement indicates a federal interest in the case, though officials have not outlined whether federal charges are expected.
The Yankees did not provide details about whether the team had coordinated with Kirk's family or Turning Point USA before the memorial display. The club's public statement on X focused on acknowledging his death and noting his role as a husband and father.
As investigators work to establish the circumstances of the shooting, public figures and institutions have reacted, and the event has prompted renewed attention to security at public speaking engagements. The FBI and local law enforcement officials have urged anyone with information or additional footage of the incident to come forward as the inquiry continues.
