Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk may have protected others even as he lost his own life, according to new details from his organization.
Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Remarkably, the bullet never exited his body, an unusual outcome for the type of weapon involved. Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point, called the event “miraculous,” noting that the surgeon who treated Kirk said the bullet “absolutely should have gone through,” as high-velocity rounds typically tear through tissue and bone.
Kolvet shared that dozens of staff, students, and guests were directly behind Kirk when the shot was fired. The surgeon remarked that it was “an absolute miracle that someone else didn’t get killed.” The bullet was later recovered just beneath Kirk’s skin, and Kolvet said it highlighted Kirk’s “strength and heroism, even in death.”
Kirk’s widow, Erika, revealed that law enforcement advised her against seeing his body due to the severity of the injuries. The bullet, fired from a vintage German Mauser rifle, had caused catastrophic damage. Kolvet noted the surgeon compared Kirk’s bone density to steel, emphasizing how his body likely absorbed the shot and prevented further tragedy.
