PHOENIX (AZFamily/AP) -- Conservative activist Charlie Kirk , the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA , has died after being shot Wednesday at an event at Utah Valley University , President Trump said.

The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum.

Kirk has long focused on energizing young conservatives with speaking events like the one at Utah Valley University where the shooting occurred.

Who was Charlie Kirk?

He launched his organization, Turning Point USA, in 2012, targeting younger people and venturing onto liberal-leaning college campuses where many GOP activists were nervous to tread.

A backer of Trump during the president’s initial 2016 run, Kirk took Turnin

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