By Hudson La Barbera
Orem, Utah (AP) — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot Sept. 10, while speaking at a rally at Utah Valley University, sending supporters reeling and raising new fears of political violence in the U.S..
The authorities announced that Kirk was shot in the neck by an assailant who had been on a rooftop near the club, but remained at large right after the shooting. Kirk was taken to a hospital to undergo surgery but the police reported his death a shortly after. He was expected to address more than 2,800 people during a ‘Turning Point USA “American Comeback Tour”’ event.
“This was a political statement, a targeted political assassination,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox stated at a news conference. “We cannot and will not allow violence as a substitute for dialogue in our democracy.”
Tyler Robinson, 22, the suspect in that shooting, was arrested Sept. 12 after a multiday manhunt. Robinson was found after investigators reviewed surveillance footage, processed forensic evidence and received tips from the public, so authorities declared. He has been denied bail and has not spoken to investigators.
Kirk had become popularly known in the 2010s as an influential conservative commentator and organizer on college campuses. In 2012, he co-founded ‘Turning Point USA’ to mobilize young voters around principles of limited government and free markets. Erika Kirk, Kirk’s wife, released following statement: “I am heartbroken by Kirk’s passing, and at the same time, I am so grateful for his faith in me over the years of campaigning.”
“The movement my husband built will not end,” she said. “We’re going to close the tour and we are going to do it in honor of his legacy by standing up for freedom, by standing up for faith and standing up for America.”
The shooting is raising the national discussion on political rhetoric and safety at political events. Schools and campaign rallies across the country have been placed under tighter security. President Donald Trump awarded Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday, saying he was “a fearless patriot who dedicated his life to founding the Federalist Society and ‘originalism’, defending the constitution.”
A public memorial service and ‘celebration of life’ was held for Kirk on Sept. 21 in Phoenix, Arizona. “This was a tragedy for Utah and I believe a great tragedy for the nation,” Cox said. “Our differences must be settled with words, not weapons. We need to ratchet down the rhetoric.”
