A deadly gunshot shattered what was supposed to be a peaceful but spirited exchange between students and conservative activist Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University on a sunny September morning.
Kirk’s death sent shockwaves across the country. Both his supporters and detractors condemned political violence and championed free expression. Federal, state and local law enforcement immediately launched a search for the killer.
Two days after the Sept. 10 fatal shooting, police arrested Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Washington City, Utah, man who disagrees with Kirk’s views. Utah County prosecutors charged Robinson with capital homicide and said they would seek the death penalty.
Looking back at 2025, Deseret News editors identified the Kirk shooting as among the biggest stories the newspaper covered in the past 12 months. Here are others:
President Russell M. Nelson dies
No president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lived as long as President Russell M. Nelson, who died on Sept. 28, about three weeks after turning 101. “The length of your life is not as important as the kind of life that you live,” President Nelson said a year earlier during a broadcast celebrating his century-long life. President Nelson’s more than seven years leading the church were transformative. He built bridges with the NAACP, announced an unprecedented number of new temples and led a renewed emphasis on the proper name of the church, among other significant changes.
On Oct. 14, President Dallin H. Oaks was ordained as the 18th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “I accept with humility the responsibility that God has placed upon me and commit my whole heart and soul to the service to which I’ve been called,” he said at a press conference. He called President Henry B. Eyring as his first counselor in the First Presidency and President D. Todd Christofferson as second counselor.
Michigan Latter-day Saint church shooting
While Latter-day Saints were worshiping in chapels around the world on Sept. 28, Thomas Jacob Sanford rammed his pickup truck into a meetinghouse in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and started shooting at the congregation. He also set fire to the building. He fatally shot two people and wounded eight. Two others died as a result of the fire. Law enforcement officers shot and killed Sanford in the church parking lot after an exchange of gunfire. The FBI determined Sanford was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also visited the burned-out Grand Blanc Stake Center where the attack happened and ministered to church members.
Congressional district boundaries
The nonprofit Better Boundaries has sought to prevent gerrymandering of Utah’s four congressional districts and has won every court case. Republican legislators continue to be engaged in the prolonged battle attempting to overturn those rulings. GOP lawmakers voted in a special legislative session to reject a court-ordered congressional map and to amend candidate and legal timelines to pave the way for a full appeal of the redistricting case. The current boundary map creates three strong Republican districts and one that favors Democrats. Several Democrats launched campaigns for the seat as the debate rages.
Immigration
The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies were felt in Utah in a variety of ways. The number of street arrests in the state by federal immigration authorities surged in September as the administration directed ICE field offices to arrest 75 illegal immigrants a day. Immigration attorneys report an increase in arrests during traffic stops and late night raids in Utah. The saga of 19-year-old Venezuelan Uriel David, who was sent to a prison in El Salvador for a time after his family entered the U.S. legally, made national headlines. One Ukrainian family who came to the U.S. legally on humanitarian parole fear losing their status if they speak publicly.
Brigham Young University sports
The BYU football team faced uncertainty heading into the season after starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff withdrew from school in the face of a reported seven-game suspension for violating the honor code. Transfer Bear Bachmeier won the job in fall camp, becoming the first true freshman to ever start the season for the Cougars. He led the team to an 11-1 regular season record, No. 12 national ranking and a 25-21 win over Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Penn State tried to lure coach Kalani Sitake away, but he chose to stay in Provo. BYU basketball rose to national prominence with the signing of the top recruit in the country, AJ Dybantsa. BYU ranks in the top 10 nationally with an eye toward a long run in the NCAA tournament next spring.
University of Utah sports
Speculation about whether Kyle Whittingham would retire after 21 years as head coach of the Utes was a running storyline throughout the season. He ended the speculation in early December when he announced he would step down after the Dec. 31 Las Vegas Bowl. Whittingham guided Utah to a 10-2 record and No. 15 national ranking. Head-coach-in-waiting Morgan Scalley, the longtime defensive coordinator, was promoted to head coach. Two weeks later, Whittingham became the head coach at Michigan. Also in December, the University of Utah revealed plans for a first-of-its-kind private equity partnership to bring money into the athletics department. Utah hired Alex Jensen, a former Ute player and longtime NBA assistant coach, to revitalize the men’s basketball team.
Utah Olympics
The private committee organizing the 2034 Winter Games put in place by state leaders at the start of the year raised more than $200 million in contributions and rolled out a new name and logo for Utah’s next Olympics and Paralympics. But not everyone is a fan of “Utah 2034.” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who only has advisory roles on the organizing committee, said it “stings” to see the capital city dropped from the official name as the state takes more control this time around, promising to involve all 29 counties. On social media, many complained the unusual, boulder-like logo is hard to read and looks like something out of a “Flintstones” cartoon.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on national stage
Gov. Spencer Cox took center stage during the search for and subsequent arrest of the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk. Thrust into the national spotlight for the worst of reasons, he won widespread acclaim for both his demeanor and his message. The two-term Republican, who won’t seek reelection, drew praise from both sides of the aisle in numerous public and media appearances. He championed civility in public dialogue and continues to push social media laws to protect children. Cox and Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro appeared together to discuss how to address political violence. Some have suggested Cox run for president.
President Trump’s influence in Utah
Trump administration policies had economic, political and social impact on the state. The president’s “big, beautiful bill” led to an anticipated $300 million decrease in state income tax revenue. The reduction could impact Utah’s effort to address chronic homelessness. University research, education and child immunization funding was cut. Under the Trump tax cuts, Utah taxpayers are projected to pay less in federal income taxes in coming years. An executive order aimed at blocking state AI laws could undo laws Utah has passed.
Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche