Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart is among those expressing condolences after right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on Wednesday. The shooting occurred during an event at Utah Valley University, which received widespread condemnation across the political spectrum."Sick to my stomach 💔," Leinart tweeted.Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at the outdoor student event, and authorities believe the shooter fired from the roof of a nearby building into the student courtyard. Following the incident, Utah Valley University will remain closed until Monday.Utah Governor Spencer Cox described the event as a “dark day for our state” and a “tragic day for our nation,” calling it a “political assassination."Meanwhile, President Donald Trump blamed the “radical left” for Kirk’s death.“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” Trump said (via NBC News). “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”Initially, one person was taken into custody after the shooting, followed by a second individual, but officials later confirmed that neither was connected to Kirk’s killing. Authorities continue to investigate the incident and are conducting a manhunt for the shooter.Matt Leinart is optimistic about USC's potential in 2025Under Matt Leinart, USC enjoyed a 34-game win streak, the fourth-longest in NCAA Division I history. As the Trojans’ starting quarterback, he compiled a 37-2 record and helped lead the school to two national championships.Leinart was the QB1 for USC’s most recent national title in 2004. More than 20 years later, the Trojans are still chasing another, but Leinart remains optimistic about Lincoln Riley’s squad in 2025."They made huge strides on defense a year ago," Leinart said (via Trojans Wire). "I think that we saw that. They were so close last year in a lot of games, and you can't have excuses."But those plays go the different way, maybe they’re 10-3 and in a playoff or 10-2 an in the playoffs, so they need to learn how to finish."USC has started the 2025 season 2-0 and is set to face Purdue on Saturday.