Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a public speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10.
The incident occurred before an audience of around 3,000 attendees as part of his "American Comeback Tour." Authorities believe the gunman fired from a rooftop in a “targeted attack." With the shooter still at large, a manhunt is underway, and the campus remains in lockdown. The Utah Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation along with the FBI.
The shooting has prompted widespread condemnation across the political spectrum, with leaders from both parties calling for an end to political violence.
Assassination attempts have been carried out since antiquity, and not everyone has been so lucky as to survive. Just look at how many Roman emperors fell victim to the sword, knife, or poison. In fact, most assassinations are politically motivated, with presidents, prime ministers, and members of royalty all having been targeted throughout history. But some killings remain senseless and inexplicable, those of musicians, for example, or advocates for peace and equality.
Click through for a gruesome timeline of victims of assassinations, and the murderers that hit their mark.