U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed to track down all those responsible for the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
He mourned the conservative activist, describing him as a “martyr for truth” while blaming what he called the “radical left” for creating the climate that led to Kirk’s killing.
“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” Trump said in a video posted on his Truth Social platform.
“This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now,” he added.
Calling the shooting a “dark moment for America,” Trump vowed a sweeping crackdown on those behind the attack.
“My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity, and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it,” he said.
Kirk, who played a key role in mobilising young voters for Trump, was fatally shot on Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. His assailant, believed to have fired from a rooftop, remains at large.
Video from the event showed Kirk addressing a packed hall when a single gunshot rang out. He appeared to slump in his chair as panic spread through the audience.
Investigators said the gunman, dressed in black, appeared to have deliberately targeted the activist.