Conservative US activist Charlie Kirk in critical condition after being shot in neck

Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, is in critical condition at a Utah hospital after being shot at a college event, a law enforcement official tells The Associated Press. A suspect is in custody, the college says.

Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.”

A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away. The AP is able to confirm the videos were taken at the Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus.

“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” says Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.

The college says a “single shot” was fired at Kirk and a suspect is in custody.

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization. The event had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”