1 00:00:09,093 --> 00:00:11,972 Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B. 2 00:00:12,373 --> 00:00:16,133 Speaker 1: Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:16,653 --> 00:00:19,532 Speaker 2: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been killed after being shot 4 00:00:19,533 --> 00:00:22,453 Speaker 2: at a campus event in Utah in the United States. 5 00:00:22,493 --> 00:00:24,573 Speaker 2: So suspect is still at large Following the shooting and 6 00:00:24,653 --> 00:00:28,533 Speaker 2: killing of Kirk. We're now joined live by a US correspondent, 7 00:00:28,573 --> 00:00:32,373 Speaker 2: Ira Spitzer from feature news story, Ira. Very good afternoon 8 00:00:32,373 --> 00:00:32,573 Speaker 2: to you. 9 00:00:33,773 --> 00:00:35,573 Speaker 3: Good appening to you now, Irah. 10 00:00:35,613 --> 00:00:37,933 Speaker 4: For those in New Zealand who don't know Charlie Kirk, 11 00:00:38,013 --> 00:00:40,452 Speaker 4: who was he and how important a figure was he 12 00:00:40,492 --> 00:00:41,893 Speaker 4: in American politics? 13 00:00:42,893 --> 00:00:46,533 Speaker 5: So, Charlie Kirk, who was thirty one years old when 14 00:00:46,732 --> 00:00:50,893 Speaker 5: he was shot and killed at this college campus in Utah, 15 00:00:51,373 --> 00:00:58,053 Speaker 5: was a very influential conservative influencer, conservative figure, a close 16 00:00:58,173 --> 00:01:02,133 Speaker 5: ally of Donald Trump, and somebody who was seen as 17 00:01:02,293 --> 00:01:07,693 Speaker 5: key to helping Donald Trump secure votes from youth voters, 18 00:01:07,933 --> 00:01:09,253 Speaker 5: especially during. 19 00:01:09,253 --> 00:01:10,773 Speaker 3: The last election. 20 00:01:11,613 --> 00:01:17,133 Speaker 5: He was the co founder of a conservative youth organization 21 00:01:17,292 --> 00:01:19,773 Speaker 5: called Turning Point USA, and he spent a lot of 22 00:01:19,813 --> 00:01:24,573 Speaker 5: time going around to college campuses across the country, debating 23 00:01:25,292 --> 00:01:26,932 Speaker 5: people in front of large audiences. 24 00:01:26,973 --> 00:01:28,133 Speaker 3: He had a massive. 25 00:01:27,773 --> 00:01:31,812 Speaker 5: Following on social media with more than millions of followers 26 00:01:32,013 --> 00:01:33,212 Speaker 5: on different platforms. 27 00:01:33,253 --> 00:01:34,413 Speaker 3: So this was a. 28 00:01:36,133 --> 00:01:41,212 Speaker 5: Real rising star and definitely an influential figure among the 29 00:01:41,333 --> 00:01:45,092 Speaker 5: MAGA movement, and certainly somebody who was closely allied with 30 00:01:45,173 --> 00:01:45,812 Speaker 5: Donald Trump. 31 00:01:46,652 --> 00:01:49,013 Speaker 4: So walk us through what we know so far about 32 00:01:49,293 --> 00:01:51,693 Speaker 4: what happened on this Utah campus today. 33 00:01:53,333 --> 00:01:58,253 Speaker 5: So Charlie Kirk had been speaking for about twenty minutes 34 00:01:58,333 --> 00:02:01,413 Speaker 5: at Utah Valley University, which is in the town of 35 00:02:01,573 --> 00:02:06,653 Speaker 5: orm Utah, when a single shot rang out and he 36 00:02:06,773 --> 00:02:09,933 Speaker 5: was hit in the neck by that bullet. There's a 37 00:02:10,013 --> 00:02:14,733 Speaker 5: video online of all of what I just described, a 38 00:02:14,893 --> 00:02:18,173 Speaker 5: very sort of distressing video that has been shared widely 39 00:02:18,693 --> 00:02:19,613 Speaker 5: and the. 40 00:02:21,733 --> 00:02:23,653 Speaker 3: And there's also a video from the event. 41 00:02:24,013 --> 00:02:28,693 Speaker 5: Some of this unconfirmed, but video of what appears to 42 00:02:28,733 --> 00:02:33,693 Speaker 5: be a figure on a rooftop about one hundred meters 43 00:02:33,733 --> 00:02:38,493 Speaker 5: away that gets up very quickly after the shooting runs away, 44 00:02:38,653 --> 00:02:44,852 Speaker 5: So that appears to be on The most prominent theory 45 00:02:44,893 --> 00:02:49,373 Speaker 5: about where that shot came from is from a rooftop 46 00:02:49,413 --> 00:02:53,012 Speaker 5: near the event. The authorities have taken a couple of 47 00:02:53,293 --> 00:02:55,573 Speaker 5: people into custody over the course of the day, but 48 00:02:56,093 --> 00:03:01,333 Speaker 5: have released both of those people. So as of now, 49 00:03:01,493 --> 00:03:04,453 Speaker 5: the shooter is still at large. Authorities at the university 50 00:03:04,532 --> 00:03:07,813 Speaker 5: say that there's not a danger on campus anymore. 51 00:03:07,972 --> 00:03:10,573 Speaker 3: So it's hard to it's hard to. 52 00:03:10,493 --> 00:03:15,453 Speaker 5: Really comprehend exactly how somebody could apparently escape from that 53 00:03:15,573 --> 00:03:19,133 Speaker 5: chaotic scene and still be at large. But that is 54 00:03:19,853 --> 00:03:23,573 Speaker 5: the situation that that faces us right now. So I'm 55 00:03:23,613 --> 00:03:26,413 Speaker 5: sure we'll have lots of updates in the coming hours 56 00:03:26,453 --> 00:03:31,732 Speaker 5: and days. But a very tragic and pretty intense situation 57 00:03:31,893 --> 00:03:33,573 Speaker 5: unfolding earlier in Utah. 58 00:03:33,653 --> 00:03:36,373 Speaker 4: So there was an older gentleman that was originally grabbed, 59 00:03:36,773 --> 00:03:38,133 Speaker 4: but he he's been released. 60 00:03:39,773 --> 00:03:40,693 Speaker 3: Correct, So there. 61 00:03:40,653 --> 00:03:46,573 Speaker 5: Was somebody who was taken into custody and was eventually 62 00:03:47,413 --> 00:03:53,933 Speaker 5: charged with something much much lesser unrelated to the shooting itself. 63 00:03:54,053 --> 00:03:56,573 Speaker 3: And then later in the day, at. 64 00:03:56,573 --> 00:03:59,893 Speaker 5: Least the day here in the US, the FBI Director 65 00:04:00,013 --> 00:04:03,533 Speaker 5: Cash Patel said that there is a subject in custody, 66 00:04:03,733 --> 00:04:07,413 Speaker 5: So it really seemed that there was a, you know, 67 00:04:07,413 --> 00:04:11,053 Speaker 5: a strong likelihood that this person had been caught. But 68 00:04:11,093 --> 00:04:14,493 Speaker 5: then somewhat surprisingly, a couple hours later, and just in 69 00:04:14,533 --> 00:04:17,613 Speaker 5: the past hour, the FBI director has said no, that 70 00:04:17,653 --> 00:04:22,573 Speaker 5: person has been released. So we have no idea who 71 00:04:23,333 --> 00:04:27,653 Speaker 5: committed this crime, this violent act there's no information about 72 00:04:28,613 --> 00:04:32,813 Speaker 5: whether this what exactly the motivation was. Utah's governor has 73 00:04:32,813 --> 00:04:38,253 Speaker 5: called it a political assassination. That's certainly given who was speaking, 74 00:04:38,373 --> 00:04:42,893 Speaker 5: that's certainly seems pretty likely that he was targeted because 75 00:04:42,933 --> 00:04:48,013 Speaker 5: of his viewpoints or because of his prominence. So a 76 00:04:48,053 --> 00:04:52,293 Speaker 5: lot now to find out about why Charlie Kirk was 77 00:04:52,453 --> 00:04:53,853 Speaker 5: assassinated in this way. 78 00:04:54,413 --> 00:04:57,373 Speaker 4: What is the wider media and political reaction been across 79 00:04:57,373 --> 00:04:57,893 Speaker 4: the States. 80 00:04:59,213 --> 00:05:05,373 Speaker 5: Well, there's been widespread condemnation of this murder from across 81 00:05:05,413 --> 00:05:08,613 Speaker 5: the political spectrum, starting of course with a press cident 82 00:05:08,693 --> 00:05:14,453 Speaker 5: Donald Trump. He posted on social media that saying that 83 00:05:14,453 --> 00:05:17,493 Speaker 5: that Charlie Kirk had the heart of America's youth like 84 00:05:17,533 --> 00:05:20,533 Speaker 5: no one else and saying that this was a tragic loss. 85 00:05:20,533 --> 00:05:23,253 Speaker 5: He's also ordered flags to be flown at half staff 86 00:05:23,613 --> 00:05:28,093 Speaker 5: through Sunday. So a very strong reaction from the President, 87 00:05:28,493 --> 00:05:32,213 Speaker 5: which is as you might imagine given the close relationship 88 00:05:32,253 --> 00:05:37,333 Speaker 5: between the two men. But former President Barack Obama, other 89 00:05:37,413 --> 00:05:43,853 Speaker 5: Democratic lawmakers California Governor Gavin Newsom have all expressed their 90 00:05:44,293 --> 00:05:46,093 Speaker 5: condolences and condemned the violence. 91 00:05:46,133 --> 00:05:49,053 Speaker 3: So at least from a public perspective, there's. 92 00:05:48,893 --> 00:05:52,093 Speaker 5: Certainly a bipartisan condemnation of this act. 93 00:05:52,133 --> 00:05:54,613 Speaker 3: There's still lots of controversy. 94 00:05:55,213 --> 00:05:59,413 Speaker 5: Some of his viewpoints were considered controversial on issues like 95 00:05:59,733 --> 00:06:05,333 Speaker 5: LGBT rights or immigration. He certainly was was very closely 96 00:06:05,413 --> 00:06:09,373 Speaker 5: aligned with some of the MAGA viewpoints on on those issues. 97 00:06:09,413 --> 00:06:13,853 Speaker 5: And in fact, in the US Congress earlier, a minute 98 00:06:13,893 --> 00:06:17,333 Speaker 5: of silence was declared by House Speaker Mike Johnson for 99 00:06:18,013 --> 00:06:21,573 Speaker 5: Charlie Kirk and there was a shouting match between the 100 00:06:21,693 --> 00:06:23,813 Speaker 5: lawmakers about whether that was. 101 00:06:23,773 --> 00:06:26,053 Speaker 3: Too much or too little of a tribute. 102 00:06:26,133 --> 00:06:32,253 Speaker 5: So this certainly has stoked nerves and kind of revealed 103 00:06:32,653 --> 00:06:37,053 Speaker 5: lots of the tensions underneath the surface of America right now, 104 00:06:37,093 --> 00:06:41,413 Speaker 5: given the great political tension. But on the other hand, 105 00:06:42,053 --> 00:06:45,613 Speaker 5: simply the sheer brutality of the act, that's something that 106 00:06:46,733 --> 00:06:47,813 Speaker 5: has shocked everyone. 107 00:06:48,733 --> 00:06:51,253 Speaker 4: Now, Now, what if people think of his beliefs. There's 108 00:06:51,253 --> 00:06:53,013 Speaker 4: one thing that we all know he did believe in, 109 00:06:53,053 --> 00:06:56,773 Speaker 4: which was open debate. And what do you think his 110 00:06:56,893 --> 00:07:00,293 Speaker 4: death will mean for these kind of open ear discussions 111 00:07:00,453 --> 00:07:03,173 Speaker 4: in America. It doesn't seem like they can continue, does it. 112 00:07:05,293 --> 00:07:11,253 Speaker 5: Well, in many ways, it seems probable that that he 113 00:07:11,293 --> 00:07:16,213 Speaker 5: could become a martyr for that cause. Of free speech. 114 00:07:16,453 --> 00:07:21,133 Speaker 5: He would go around the country and debate people who 115 00:07:21,213 --> 00:07:25,613 Speaker 5: at different viewpoints of his own. Yes, certainly one could 116 00:07:25,973 --> 00:07:29,613 Speaker 5: take the conclusion perhaps that Okay, it's too dangerous to 117 00:07:29,733 --> 00:07:32,933 Speaker 5: continue doing that sort of thing. But I would imagine 118 00:07:32,973 --> 00:07:35,293 Speaker 5: that there's also going to be people who want to 119 00:07:36,173 --> 00:07:41,013 Speaker 5: kind of continue that that tradition and to you know, 120 00:07:41,093 --> 00:07:43,933 Speaker 5: to honor Charlie Kirk's memory. This is what he was 121 00:07:43,973 --> 00:07:49,493 Speaker 5: known for, was was doing that. So it would also seem, 122 00:07:49,973 --> 00:07:52,333 Speaker 5: you know, sort of tragic if if that sort of 123 00:07:52,373 --> 00:07:55,013 Speaker 5: debate stopped because of this assassination. 124 00:07:55,253 --> 00:07:59,213 Speaker 3: But we'll see. It's a it's an uncertain time right now. 125 00:07:59,213 --> 00:08:01,533 Speaker 5: There's been so much political violence in the US over 126 00:08:01,573 --> 00:08:04,053 Speaker 5: the past few years, things that we haven't seen here 127 00:08:04,093 --> 00:08:07,493 Speaker 5: in decades, and suddenly that's become more of the norm. 128 00:08:07,533 --> 00:08:11,453 Speaker 5: We've seen the nation attempts on President Trump for example, 129 00:08:12,133 --> 00:08:16,653 Speaker 5: last year, and really just a very divided country with 130 00:08:16,853 --> 00:08:18,373 Speaker 5: violence now coming to the four again. 131 00:08:18,573 --> 00:08:21,053 Speaker 2: Has here been discussed in IRA for some members of 132 00:08:21,093 --> 00:08:24,013 Speaker 2: Congress who have not afforded the full security detail to 133 00:08:24,093 --> 00:08:26,653 Speaker 2: step up that level of security, and not just the 134 00:08:26,773 --> 00:08:29,893 Speaker 2: members of Congress, other people in a similar situation to 135 00:08:30,013 --> 00:08:30,573 Speaker 2: Charlie Kirk. 136 00:08:32,293 --> 00:08:36,373 Speaker 5: Well, there have definitely been calls for lawmakers and for 137 00:08:36,453 --> 00:08:42,693 Speaker 5: other politicians to have greater protection given the dramatic rise 138 00:08:42,973 --> 00:08:46,892 Speaker 5: in political violence that is to be expected. In terms 139 00:08:46,892 --> 00:08:52,013 Speaker 5: of people like Charlie Kirk. They would There has been 140 00:08:52,533 --> 00:08:56,373 Speaker 5: increased security at events like college campuses in recent years 141 00:08:56,413 --> 00:09:00,492 Speaker 5: because of threats, But it really does speak to the 142 00:09:00,533 --> 00:09:05,732 Speaker 5: difficulty of trying to protect prominent figures everywhere they go, 143 00:09:05,852 --> 00:09:09,732 Speaker 5: especially those that aren't you know, that aren't the president 144 00:09:09,852 --> 00:09:12,893 Speaker 5: or somewhat of that level. When you're talking about an 145 00:09:12,892 --> 00:09:16,213 Speaker 5: influencer going to college campus is just the sheer amount 146 00:09:16,213 --> 00:09:20,132 Speaker 5: of manpower and logistics involved to carry that out is 147 00:09:20,252 --> 00:09:22,492 Speaker 5: quite daunting. But there have been calls for that, and 148 00:09:22,852 --> 00:09:25,453 Speaker 5: when you see what happened today you can certainly see why. 149 00:09:26,053 --> 00:09:28,933 Speaker 4: Now this question might be hard to answer, but what 150 00:09:28,973 --> 00:09:30,813 Speaker 4: do you think this means for America as a whole? 151 00:09:31,012 --> 00:09:33,132 Speaker 4: I mean, is it possible that could calm things down? 152 00:09:33,693 --> 00:09:36,533 Speaker 4: You know, some empathy towards different sides of the political 153 00:09:36,573 --> 00:09:42,693 Speaker 4: spectrum could appear. As you say, it's horrifically violent. Images 154 00:09:44,372 --> 00:09:47,052 Speaker 4: would be hard for even the most ardent opponent of 155 00:09:47,573 --> 00:09:49,892 Speaker 4: Charlie Cook to not feel empathy for a thirty one 156 00:09:49,933 --> 00:09:53,093 Speaker 4: year old father of two being gunned down as in 157 00:09:53,132 --> 00:09:55,053 Speaker 4: an open debate, or do you think it will only 158 00:09:55,093 --> 00:09:56,413 Speaker 4: make things more divided? 159 00:09:58,252 --> 00:10:02,933 Speaker 5: Yeah, Unfortunately, it's hard for me to imagine that this 160 00:10:03,053 --> 00:10:08,892 Speaker 5: event would have any sort of effect of bringing Americans 161 00:10:08,933 --> 00:10:12,853 Speaker 5: together and having many people say, Okay, look it's gone 162 00:10:12,892 --> 00:10:16,492 Speaker 5: too far, we have to dial back the rhetoric. That's 163 00:10:17,293 --> 00:10:20,933 Speaker 5: that's not really what the the kind of tone. 164 00:10:20,693 --> 00:10:22,813 Speaker 3: Of the conversation and the debate is. 165 00:10:23,053 --> 00:10:26,813 Speaker 5: Certainly you have some some people who who might think that. 166 00:10:27,053 --> 00:10:30,693 Speaker 5: But with the weaponization of information that of course we've 167 00:10:30,732 --> 00:10:34,213 Speaker 5: we've seen in recent years being propagated through social media, 168 00:10:34,213 --> 00:10:40,613 Speaker 5: and just the instrumental mentalization of violence that and and 169 00:10:40,813 --> 00:10:45,933 Speaker 5: instrumentalization of current events I've already seen, you know, just 170 00:10:45,933 --> 00:10:49,213 Speaker 5: just in hearing the debate around around Charlie Kirk, I 171 00:10:49,492 --> 00:10:54,133 Speaker 5: wouldn't say, uh that I would expect the rhetoric to 172 00:10:54,213 --> 00:10:56,412 Speaker 5: cool off because of this one act. 173 00:10:56,492 --> 00:10:58,612 Speaker 3: But it's still it's still early. 174 00:10:58,693 --> 00:11:01,732 Speaker 5: You know, we don't know the person's motivations, even who 175 00:11:01,852 --> 00:11:04,853 Speaker 5: murdered him, So that is definitely something that people are 176 00:11:04,973 --> 00:11:05,732 Speaker 5: quite interested in. 177 00:11:06,213 --> 00:11:09,093 Speaker 2: Arah, really appreciate your time this afternoon. It's going to 178 00:11:09,093 --> 00:11:11,053 Speaker 2: be a long few days for you and other reporters 179 00:11:11,053 --> 00:11:12,772 Speaker 2: and media there so really appreciate it. 180 00:11:13,173 --> 00:11:14,533 Speaker 3: Story Thank you. 181 00:11:14,773 --> 00:11:18,453 Speaker 2: That is US correspondent Iras Spitzer from Feature News Story Work. 182 00:11:18,612 --> 00:11:21,252 Speaker 1: For more from News Talk sed B. Listen live on 183 00:11:21,333 --> 00:11:24,293 Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever 184 00:11:24,333 --> 00:11:26,933 Speaker 1: you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio