The United States is looking for those responsible for the murder of activist Charlie Kirk. What the media is writing

Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist and close associate of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead during a debate with liberal youth in the US state of Utah. He is considered a controversial figure, and his murder, committed in front of a crowd, was immediately called political. What the foreign media write about it is in the Izvestia digest.

Bloomberg: Police are looking for a man who fatally shot a conservative activist

A search is currently underway for the murderer of Charlie Kirk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump and the executive director of the human rights group Turning Point USA. Kirk was performing outdoors in front of a crowd at Utah Valley University when a single gunshot rang out from a nearby building. The governor of the state, Spencer Cox, called it a "political assassination." One of the suspects was taken into custody but later released, FBI Director Kesh Patel said on social media.

The murder demonstrated the escalation of political violence in an increasingly polarized American society. Trump was the target of two assassination attempts last year when he was running for a second term. Pennsylvania's Democratic governor Josh Shapiro was forced to leave his home in April after an arson attempt. In June, a gunman killed Minnesota Democrat lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home.

Shots fired in Utah: what is known about the assassination attempt on Charlie Kirk

Trump's colleague died in hospital after being shot in the neck.

Fox News: Law enforcement officers ask for help in finding Charlie Kirk's killer

President Donald Trump initially shared the news of Charlie Kirk's death on Truth Social. He noted that no one understood young people better than Kirk: "He was loved and adored by EVERYONE, especially by me, and now he is no longer with us." Kirk, 31, was holding his first meeting in Utah as part of his American Comeback Tour. The FBI has asked for public help as the shooter remains at large.

The second suspect, Zakaria Qureshi, was taken into custody and also released after interrogation. The Department of Public Safety stated that none of these people has any connection with the shooting, and the investigation and search for the shooter are ongoing. Governor Spencer Cox called Kirk's death a political assassination and asked the public to find a way to "stop hating our fellow Americans."

New York Times: Trump says Democratic rhetoric contributed to Charlie Kirk's death

President Trump said on Wednesday that the rhetoric of the "radical left" contributed to the assassination of his close ally Charlie Kirk, and promised to find those responsible for political violence, as well as "the organizations that finance and support it." In a video message from the Oval Office, Trump said that criticism of conservatives by liberals was the cause of terrorism, "which we are witnessing in our country today, and it must stop right now."

In his video, Trump linked Kirk's death to other recent attacks on Republican political figures, and mentioned an attempt on his own life during a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The president did not mention the attacks on Democrats. He honored Kirk's memory, calling him a martyr and patriot, and praising his commitment to freedom of speech, the rule of law, and God.

Washington Post: Trump is acutely worried about the murder of his ally

Kirk, 31, who died from a gunshot wound to the neck during a speech on a college campus in Utah, was on familiar terms with an entire generation of White House officials. These are people in their 20s and 30s who reached political age after President Donald Trump first took office, and who now hold some of the most influential positions in the country.

Trump ordered all American flags in the United States to be lowered at half-mast until Sunday evening, which was a surprisingly quick display of official mourning for a man who did not hold public office and was a polarizing figure in a deeply polarized country. Trump's allies on social media demanded a forceful response to the killing, and some called for retaliatory violence. The tone of the response may depend on the personality and ideology of the shooter.

Reuters: Kirk's murder demonstrated the depth of political divisions in the United States

A minute of silence was supposed to be held in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday in memory of murdered conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but instead it turned into shouts and accusations. This episode was a poignant illustration of how a nation is divided by political differences.

Kirk's colleagues in the Republican Party were quick to blame the Democrats for his murder, while the liberals themselves maintained a more restrained tone, condemning political violence in general and again calling for stricter gun laws. The reaction suggested that Kirk's death would probably only worsen the political divide in America, as happened last year after two assassination attempts on Trump.