WARNING: Some people may find some content in this podcast distressing
TRANSCRIPT
"Speaking to you in my personal capacity tonight as a 26 year old, I see the angst of young people as well as the challenges facing new parents. I am here tonight to tell you, to warn you that this election is a decision between preserving America as we know it and eliminating everything that we love."
That's American conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a familiar theme - the importance of getting young people to take part in the political process.
He has now died after being fatally shot in the neck while taking part in an event at Utah Valley University, where he was taking questions from students.
A student who identified himself as Rishi saw what happened.
"So, I was watching the event and, I saw Charlie Kirk start talking and stuff, and all of a sudden I saw his eyes. All of a sudden, in a second later, I heard a gunshot. And every body started, like, running in, like a mob through the doors. And like, it was scary."
Republican strategist Matthew Bartlett was broadcasting live for the BBC when the shooting happened.
He says his heart goes out to Mr Kirk's family, who were present at the event.
"You must think right now, first and foremost, the thoughts and prayers are with Charlie's wife, his young family. As you reported, his wife was there, saw his assassination before her eyes."
Police believe the shooter probably fired from a rooftop, adding that there were about 3,000 people gathered at the event.
Eyewitness Adam Bartholomew has told the BBC that although there were protesters present, the mood had been great.
"My own son was waiting in line to ask Charlie a question. The people were chanting, U-S-A, U-S-A, whenever there was the anti Charlie turn, Protestors would be screaming. They were chanting curse words, the other side would start chanting USA and people were excited to see him. There was, the mood was really good. The mood was positive. Leading up to the tragedy."
President Trump was among the first to announce that Charlie Kirk had died.
Mr Kirk was not just a close ally of the President, but also a friend.
The group he co-founded, Turning Point USA was the largest conservative youth organisation in the country, and played a key role in driving young voter support for Trump in November.
Mr Trump has ordered all American flags across the US to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday.
The US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has also asked all members to stand for a moment of silence and prayer.
"The chair would ask that all members present in the Chamber and those in the gallery please rise for a moment of prayer for Charlie Kirk and his family."
But the bipartisan moment disappeared almost instantly.
Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert spoke out to call for a spoken prayer.
Democrats quickly yelled back at her, pointing to a school shooting that happened in Colorado this week and urging her to support gun control legislation.
Shouting, then "The House will be in order...The House will be in order....We will join for prayer right after this, ok?"
The killing of Charlie Kirk is the latest in a series of attacks on US political figures, including two assassination attempts on Mr Trump last year, that have underscored a sharp rise in political violence.
And the disagreement in the House of Representatives reflected the increasingly antagonistic moods within US politics.
Adam Bartholomew says he saw protesters who were happy that Charlie Kirk had been shot.
"After the initial shooting, there were people up on the balcony with me that were excited and they were celebrating the fact. They were saying, oh, fingers crossed. And it was disgusting and despicable to see people celebrating this kind of political violence, in my opinion, to think that somebody's opinions, somebody's words are so offensive that you are driven to this kind of violence. It's unbelievable to me.”]
