Camilla Jessen
Video shows people stealing hats following Charlie Kirk shooting.
A tragic event at Utah Valley University took a turn when bystanders were seen stealing moments after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot.
Shooting at Utah Valley University
The incident happened on the evening of Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking to a crowd of several thousand students when a gunshot rang out.
The bullet struck him in the neck, and he was rushed by private vehicle to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Witness Accounts of the Shooting
Skyler Baird, a student in the audience, told local station KUTV he was only 15 feet from Kirk when the gun was fired.
“I pretty much knew immediately that he wasn’t going to make it,” Baird said, adding that while there was visible security close to Kirk, the wider campus area felt largely unprotected.
A Political Ally on Stage
Phil Lyman, former Republican state representative in Utah, had stood alongside Kirk before the event began.
Speaking to the BBC, he described the moment as deeply traumatic for the thousands of students in attendance.
“3,000 kids basically watched someone shot right in front of them – it was really traumatic,” Lyman said.
Kirk’s Message and Values
Lyman emphasized Kirk’s influence on conservative youth, describing him as a figure committed to Christian values, family, and freedom.
He urged that the attack should not deter young people from the principles Kirk advocated.
A Crime Scene Emerges
Before the shooting, Kirk had been handing out baseball caps to attendees.
Once the area was locked down, the scene shifted from a campus event to a crime investigation.
Theft Caught on Video
In the aftermath, one video quickly spread on TikTok and later on X, showing an individual entering the tent where Kirk had been shot and taking several caps from a table.
The clip, shared by user suxiequtie and cited by Newsweek, captures someone off-camera asking, “Grab me a hat,” before security stepped in.
Outrage on Social Media
The footage sparked widespread anger online, with many condemning the act as disrespectful and insensitive given the circumstances.
Security ultimately removed the individual, but the video added another layer of shock to an already harrowing night.
Charlie Kirk’s death has left both supporters and critics reeling, while the hunt for the shooter continues.
