A statement by the Utah Valley University sent to US media, including the New York Times and Fox News, says shots were fired from a building about 200 yards (182 metres) away.

"At about 12:20 shots were fired from a building about 200 yards from the speaker. To the best of our knowledge, the individual was hit and was taken away immediately by his security personnel," the statement from Ellen Trean, spokeswoman for Utah Valley University, said.

In another X post updating the university's 40,000-plus student body, the Utah Valley University Police reiterate that students should leave the campus.

"Campus closed, classes canceled until further notice," the post says. "Police are investigating. Leave campus immediately. Follow police instructions."

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has posted on social media that Charlie Kirk is "still with us".

"PLEASE KEEP PRAYING. Hearing he is in critical condition but still with us," she writes on X.

Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck, according to a representative from Turning Point USA.

"He was shot in the neck. He’s at the hospital. It doesn’t look good," chief marketing officer Marina Minas told the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox says he has been briefed on Kirk's shooting, saying the attacker will "be held fully accountable".

"Violence has no place in our public life. Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act," he wrote on X.

Mike Wendling
BBC News

Image source, Reuters

Charlie Kirk is one of the biggest conservative influencers in the US today.

To call him a firebrand would be somewhat understating the case - he's a staunch Trump loyalist who built a huge audience through his Turning Point organisation, which has a presence on hundreds of college campuses across the country.

Kirk and his band of young conservatives flood the zone through social media and podcasts, and his ability to draw crowds led to a key role in Donald Trump's MAGA movement.

Turning Point poured both money and people into swing states during last year's presidential election.

He's spoken at Republican conventions and last year Donald Trump repaid the favour by giving a big speech at a Turning Point conference in Arizona.

Kirk's evangelical Christian religion and family - he's married to a former Miss Arizona, with whom he has two children - are front and centre in his politics, and he's seen as both the future of conservative activism and a highly polarising figure.

Campus police have just posted an update on X about the shooting, confirming that Kirk was shot and that a suspect is in custody.

"Today at about 12:10 a shot was fired at the visiting speaker, Charlie Kirk. He was hit and taken from the location by his security. Campus police is investigating, a suspect is in custody," the post says.

BBC Verify has confirmed the authenticity of several videos of the shooting which have been posted online.

One video shows students crowded around a white tent emblazoned with the words, "THE AMERICAN COMEBACK" and "PROVE ME WRONG". Some students are watching the event from elevated structures nearby.

Charlie Kirk can be seen sitting alone under the tent with several others standing nearby.

As Kirk is speaking, a loud bang can be heard.

The video pans away. "Oh my God!" one person can be heard saying.

"Go! Run, run run!" another yells as those in the audience scatter.

A former US Congressman who was at the event with his daughter has told Fox News what happened when Kirk was shot.

"Everyone hit the deck" and "scattered", former US representative Jason Chaffetz says. He calls the violence "shocking".

"The shot came straight at him," Chaffetz says, adding he had talked to Kirk just before the event started.

Nardine Saad
US reporter

Scott Trotter, senior director of Public Relations at Utah Valley University in Orem, just confirmed to the BBC that Kirk was shot and that the attacker is not in custody.

Trotter said that at 12:25 local time, "a single shot rang out in the quad near the food court on the Utah Valley University Orem Campus as Mr. Charlie Kirk began speaking at his planned rally."

"We can confirm that Mr. Kirk was shot, but we don’t know his condition," Trotter said. He added that the campus is closed for the rest of the day.

US politicians are reacting on social media to the news of the shooting.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth: "Prayers for Charlie Kirk. An incredible Christian, American, and human being. May the healing hand of Jesus Christ be upon him."

Attorney General Pamela Bondi: "FBI and ATF agents are on the way. PRAY FOR CHARLIE."

House Speaker Mike Johnson: "Please join us in praying for our good friend, Charlie Kirk."

California Governor Gavin Newsom: "The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form."

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr: "We love you Charlie Kirk. Praying for you."

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

We've just heard from President Trump, who posted on Truth Social that:

"We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot," he wrote. "A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!"

As news of the shooting broke, I was in the "upper press" area of the White House, where senior officials such as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have their offices.

I first learned that the shooting had taken place when a young female staffer gasped and exclaimed "oh my god, Charlie Kirk has been shot!" as I stood outside the office of a senior White House official. It elicited more gasps from other nearby White House staff.

The staffer got up from her desk, still looking at her phone and then quickly walked out of the area.

US President Donald trump has reacted to news of Charlie Kirk being shot.

"We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot," he wrote on Truth Social. "A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM! "

The FBI says it is "closely monitoring" reports of a shooting involving Charlie Kirk at the Utah Valley University.

"Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected," FBI director Kash Patel wrote on X.

"Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation."

Utah Valley University has released a statement saying a "single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker".

The event was hosting Charlie Kirk.

They say a suspect is in custody and police are investigating.

Image source, Getty Images

Charlie Kirk is a conservative commentator and podcast host with millions of followers.

He's best known as the founder of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit that seeks to spread conservative ideas to students on US campuses. He has 5.2 million followers on X and 7.3 million followers on TikTok.

Kirk is a fervent supporter of President Donald Trump.

US Vice-President JD Vance has reacted to this breaking news.

"Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father," he says.

Campus police have told the BBC that shots were fired at an event with US conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Kirk, a Trump ally, runs the conservative student group Turning Point USA.

We’re closely following the situation and will bring you the latest updates as soon as we have them.