Charlie Kirk assassination: Shooter search, FBI updates, political beliefs, reactions

Charlie Kirk assassination: Shooter search, FBI updates, political beliefs, reactions

From The Takeaway with Alex by NBC Chicago

September 11, 2025 · 16 min · Episode 29

About this episode

The episode discusses the assassination of Charlie Kirk and its implications for political discourse in the U.S.

Charlie Kirk’s assassination in Utah has led to a renewed conversation about political violence in the United States. The 31-year-old had millions of followers on social media, was very close with President Donald Trump and his son Don Jr., and had built Turning Point USA into the leading conservative organization for the digital age. He had strong views on many divisive political topics -- the 2nd Amendment, gender, immigration, religion in American life – and relished debating it all in public. In this episode of The Takeaway with Alex, NBC Chicago political reporter Mary Ann Ahern describes how his upbringing in the Chicago suburbs shaped his views and his path to political stardom. She also talks about the reaction to the assassination from Democrats, and what the future of political discourse looks like with fear of continued violence.

People in this episode

Guest: Mary Ann Ahern

Topics covered

  • political violence
  • Charlie Kirk
  • Turning Point USA
  • political beliefs
  • FBI updates

Keywords

  • assassination
  • political discourse
  • Chicago suburbs
  • Donald Trump
  • Democrats

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Takeaway with Alex

Places: Utah, the United States, Chicago

More episodes of The Takeaway with Alex

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Takeaway with Alex podcast page.