A shot rang out in Utah on Wednesday, and in that moment the United States descended another steep step on a dark path.

The known facts are that conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead during a speaking engagement on the campus of Utah Valley University. Kirk was the CEO of Turning Point USA, a youth-oriented conservative organization he cofounded in 2012.

President Trump announced the news that Kirk had died in a social media post shortly after 4:30 p.m. EDT. Trump, describing Kirk as “Great and even Legendary,” added, “He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.”

In the hours before Kirk’s death was confirmed, videos of the moment of the shooting circulated widely on social media. They were horrific.

Kirk, 31, had a wife and two young children.

A statement from the college said the shooting appears to have taken place from a distance of about 200 yards. As of late afternoon, there were conflicting reports as to whether anyone was in custody in the aftermath.

The murder was deeply shocking in itself. It also resonated outward, fueling broader circles of fear about the future of the United States — and about its deeply polarized present.

The nation is, by almost every measure, more divided than at any time in its recent history.

Not since the tumult of the late 1960s claimed the lives of major figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy and Malcolm X has the nation been so riven by successive acts of political violence.

Instances where people are targeted on the apparent basis of their political affiliation........

© The Hill