Charles James Kirk was an American right-wing political activist, author, and media personality. He co-founded the conservative organization Turning Point USA in 2012 and was its executive director. He was the chief executive officer of Turning Point Action and a member of the Council for National Policy. In September 2025, Kirk was shot and killed at the age of 31 while speaking at a TPUSA event on the campus of Utah Valley University (UVU), as part of his long-running public debate events at higher education institutions across the United States. The shooting received international attention and condemnation.