Australian leaders have condemned the assassination of a key ally of US President Donald Trump, saying political violence is never acceptable.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed while speaking at the event at Utah Valley University in Orem, south of Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, US time.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said his thoughts went out to Mr Kirk’s family.
“There is absolutely no place for political violence,” he told ABC TV on Thursday.
“That’s the message that we have to take from this… that is not a way in which to resolve arguments and disputes and discussions in society.”
Liberal senator James Paterson echoed Mr Marles’ comments, noting that the shooting follows an attempt on US President Donald Trump’s life in 2024.
“It does seem that there has been an uptick in this sort of violence recently, and that is not a good thing,” he told Sky News.
“It’s not a good thing for the United States.
“It’s not a good thing for a country like Australia, for whom the United States is such an important ally.
“It’s a reminder for all of us in public life to be measured and calm.”
In a post on X, former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott said Mr Kirk “championed the pursuit of open debate and intellectual freedom in places of education.”
US President Donald Trump confirmed Mr Kirk’s death, saying in a post on his platform Truth Social, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”
Utah law enforcement officials have taken a “person of interest” into custody and believe the shooting was a targeted attack.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox described it as a “political assassination.”
“If anyone … celebrated even a little bit at the news of this shooting, I would beg you to look in the mirror and to see if you can find a better angel in there somewhere,” he told reporters.
“I don’t care what his politics are, I care that he was an American.”