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| Charlie Kirk: Witnesses describe panic in aftermath of shooting | Charlie Kirk: Witnesses describe panic in aftermath of shooting |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Witnesses describe scene before and after Charlie Kirk shot | Witnesses describe scene before and after Charlie Kirk shot |
| Attendees at the campus event where US conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Wednesday have described mass panic after a shot was heard. | Attendees at the campus event where US conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Wednesday have described mass panic after a shot was heard. |
| Kirk, 31, was killed after he was hit in the neck by a single bullet, which law enforcement believes came from a shooter on the roof of a nearby building. | Kirk, 31, was killed after he was hit in the neck by a single bullet, which law enforcement believes came from a shooter on the roof of a nearby building. |
| The influencer and close Donald Trump ally had been speaking to about 3,000 people on his American Comeback Tour at Utah Valley University. | The influencer and close Donald Trump ally had been speaking to about 3,000 people on his American Comeback Tour at Utah Valley University. |
| Videos on social media show Kirk talked about gun violence moments before he was shot. | Videos on social media show Kirk talked about gun violence moments before he was shot. |
| Follow live updates | Follow live updates |
| One eyewitness told the BBC's US partner CBS: "Me and my buddies were having a good time just listening to what was going on and we just saw it, heard a loud shout, loud bang and then I saw his body actually in slow motion kind of fall over". | One eyewitness told the BBC's US partner CBS: "Me and my buddies were having a good time just listening to what was going on and we just saw it, heard a loud shout, loud bang and then I saw his body actually in slow motion kind of fall over". |
| Porter LaFerber, a student at Utah Valley University who described himself as a "big fan" of Kirk's and was at the rally, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was about 50ft (15m) away from Kirk. | Porter LaFerber, a student at Utah Valley University who described himself as a "big fan" of Kirk's and was at the rally, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was about 50ft (15m) away from Kirk. |
| "I was sitting there filming him, I cut my video and just then I heard this shot," he said. | "I was sitting there filming him, I cut my video and just then I heard this shot," he said. |
| "You don't really realise what's happened until it's happened. Charlie falls off his stool, everyone starts panicking." | "You don't really realise what's happened until it's happened. Charlie falls off his stool, everyone starts panicking." |
| LaFerber said he hid behind a "cement terrace" and then after about a minute of "not hearing another gunshot, I got up and just booked it to the closest building I could see". | LaFerber said he hid behind a "cement terrace" and then after about a minute of "not hearing another gunshot, I got up and just booked it to the closest building I could see". |
| In a video shared by news agency Reuters, an eyewitness called Danielle said she was closer to Kirk - about 15ft (5m) away. | In a video shared by news agency Reuters, an eyewitness called Danielle said she was closer to Kirk - about 15ft (5m) away. |
| "It was horrible," she said. "All I hear is screaming and I see people running and I'm like, 'it's not safe to run. It's not safe to get up'...And all I'm saying is, 'please, God, please, God, please, God,' because I don't want to die." | "It was horrible," she said. "All I hear is screaming and I see people running and I'm like, 'it's not safe to run. It's not safe to get up'...And all I'm saying is, 'please, God, please, God, please, God,' because I don't want to die." |
| Students flee as Charlie Kirk is shot while speaking to a crowd of hundreds | Students flee as Charlie Kirk is shot while speaking to a crowd of hundreds |
| Jason Chaffetz, a former US congressman told Fox News he was at the event with his daughter when it happened. | Jason Chaffetz, a former US congressman told Fox News he was at the event with his daughter when it happened. |
| "The shot came straight at him," he said, adding that "everyone hit the deck" and "scattered". | "The shot came straight at him," he said, adding that "everyone hit the deck" and "scattered". |
| Adam Bartholomew, who was at the event interviewing counter-protesters who were speaking against Kirk's presence on campus, also said people initially dropped to the floor. | Adam Bartholomew, who was at the event interviewing counter-protesters who were speaking against Kirk's presence on campus, also said people initially dropped to the floor. |
| "There was confusion and people started scrambling for the exits," he told the BBC. | "There was confusion and people started scrambling for the exits," he told the BBC. |
| "Several people are in tears," he said of the atmosphere after the shooting. | "Several people are in tears," he said of the atmosphere after the shooting. |
| Videos taken by witnesses show the rush to flee the scene after the shooting occurred. | |
| A figure on the roof in separate video coverage appears to have been approximately 130m (142 yards) away from where Kirk was sitting. | |
| Phil Lyman, a former Utah state representative, said he had been "involved politically" with Kirk and handed out baseball caps on stage with him before the event started. | Phil Lyman, a former Utah state representative, said he had been "involved politically" with Kirk and handed out baseball caps on stage with him before the event started. |
| "I went up to find some other people so I wasn't next to him when he was shot, and I don't know if I'm happy about that or that I wish I could've been there," he told the Today programme. | "I went up to find some other people so I wasn't next to him when he was shot, and I don't know if I'm happy about that or that I wish I could've been there," he told the Today programme. |
| He added that: "3,000 kids basically watched somebody shot right in front of them, it's really traumatic. Really, really rough." | He added that: "3,000 kids basically watched somebody shot right in front of them, it's really traumatic. Really, really rough." |
| Emma Pitts, a reporter at Utah-based Deseret News who attended the event, also described seeing the moment Kirk was shot. | Emma Pitts, a reporter at Utah-based Deseret News who attended the event, also described seeing the moment Kirk was shot. |
| "I'll never get the image out of my head," Pitts said. | "I'll never get the image out of my head," Pitts said. |
| Pitts added she was surprised that "nobody scanned our equipment, nobody scanned our bags, there was no security like that." | Pitts added she was surprised that "nobody scanned our equipment, nobody scanned our bags, there was no security like that." |
| Bartholomew also said he was "surprised" that there was no security at the event. "Nobody stopped me or searched my bag." | Bartholomew also said he was "surprised" that there was no security at the event. "Nobody stopped me or searched my bag." |
| Brock Anderson described the situation on campus as "scary" | Brock Anderson described the situation on campus as "scary" |
| The BBC has asked Utah Valley University for comment in response to security measures at the event. | The BBC has asked Utah Valley University for comment in response to security measures at the event. |
| The university had provided six security officers for the talk, in addition to Kirk's private security detail. | The university had provided six security officers for the talk, in addition to Kirk's private security detail. |
| In the aftermath of the attack, students were on lockdown and unable to get back to their apartments until the early hours of the morning, as the shooter remained at large. | In the aftermath of the attack, students were on lockdown and unable to get back to their apartments until the early hours of the morning, as the shooter remained at large. |
| "It's unsettling around the campus right now, like I'm just trying to walk home, and it's just unsettling," said student Brock Anderson. | "It's unsettling around the campus right now, like I'm just trying to walk home, and it's just unsettling," said student Brock Anderson. |