Charlie Kirk’s American Comeback Tour heads to Utah State University after UVU shooting

Charlie Kirk’s American Comeback Tour will resume at Utah State University on Sept. 30, officials said, weeks after the Turning Point USA founder was fatally shot at Utah Valley University in Orem. Utah State, located in Logan about 130 miles north of the shooting site, will host the event.

Turning Point USA’s Utah State University chapter president Kaitlin Griffiths said Kirk would have wanted the tour to continue. “He wouldn’t want things to go on hold. He would only want this to empower our organization and our entire nation.”

TPUSA announced that Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, will take the helm of the organization. Utah State University said it has been preparing for the event with security and safety partners, noting that it has already been coordinating with local, state and federal agencies to ensure appropriate safety measures and protocols in light of the heightened concerns following Kirk’s death.

Authorities identified Tyler Robinson, 22, as the alleged shooter who fatally wounded Kirk at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. He has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice. Investigators said Robinson had been living with a transgender roommate, and communications between the two helped federal investigators track him down.

Kirk, 31, was attending an event on his American Comeback Tour when he was shot in the neck by a single gunshot. His body was flown from Utah to Arizona on Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance, for burial in Phoenix. Kirk’s funeral is scheduled for Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and President Donald Trump has said he plans to attend. He is survived by his wife and two young children.

Griffiths said the Utah State event is drawing increasing interest and may be held inside the university’s basketball arena if demand warrants. The university emphasized that public safety remains a priority and that security plans will be adapted as needed. The shooting at UVU, which drew a large outdoor crowd, set a backdrop of heightened scrutiny as organizers and students prepare for Kirk’s return to Utah.

Kirk’s death has reverberated across the political landscape, with supporters emphasizing the need to continue the movement publicly while opponents scrutinize the rhetoric surrounding high-visibility political events. As TPUSA reconfigures its leadership in Kirk’s wake, the focus remains on safety, process, and the goals of the broader movement in the months ahead.