Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gave insight into his relationship with right-wing activist Charlie Kirk after he was fatally shot at the age of 31.
Butker, 30, took to Instagram on Wednesday, September 10, to share a screenshot of a text message Kirk sent him in October 2024, which included a quote from Bible verse Philippians 3:14.
“I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” Kirk wrote with a praying emoji, while Butker responded,“On the mission [praying emoji] Thank you.”
Alongside the screenshot, Butker wrote, “Thank you for your strong witness for Christ, Charlie. Thank you for pursuing truth and leading your family as a husband and father.”
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“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen,” he concluded.
While not much is known about Butker and Kirk’s friendship, the professional athlete has been outspoken about his conservative political views that align with Kirk’s.
Kirk was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. He was talking to the crowd at his signature “Prove Me Wrong” table as part of his American Comeback Tour when shots were fired at him. He was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just hours later.
Following the incident, the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) shared a news release stating that the shooting was “still an active investigation.”
“The Utah Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are co-leading this incident in unison with the Utah County Attorney’s office, the Utah County Sheriff’s office, and the local police departments,” the release read.
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One person had been taken into custody as a suspect, though was later released and charged with obstruction by UVU police, per the release. DPS also stated that a second suspect was taken into custody and was released after they were interrogated.
The release stated that there are “no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals,” adding that there “is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter.”
“The shooting is believed to be a targeted attack. The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard,” the release said. “Any additional clarifications cannot be provided to protect the integrity of our investigation.”
The DPS concluded, “This is a tragic moment for Utah and our country.”
On Thursday, September 11, the FBI shared another update in the case when they uploaded photos of the suspect via X. “We are asking for the public’s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University,” the FBI Salt Lake City account wrote alongside the photos, which showed a man wearing a black shirt with an American flag design on it, a black hat and dark sunglasses.
