Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the age of 31.
Kirk, cofounder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at a university event when he was fatally shot in the neck. The scene left the crowd in shock and running in fear. According to the Associated Press, suspect Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old man from Utah, become “more political” prior to the assassination, according to reports from his family.
Bullet casings that were found in a rifle near the scene were engraved with anti-fascist messages, according to CNN. One casing was engraved with the statement, “Hey fascist! Catch!”
Kirk leaves behind two children and his wife, Erika Kirk.
“You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife,” said Kirk in her first message to the public after her husband’s death. “Cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.”
Kirk was known for his social media presence and far-right conservative views. Most notably, he is known for his political debates on the platform Jubilee and visiting universities to spread right-wing rhetoric. Kirk also co-founded Turning Point USA, a political advocacy nonprofit that promotes conservative politics on high school, college and university campuses across the country.
Despite opposing political views, leaders of different Hofstra University cultural programs spoke out against the violence.
“I think the situation is truly a sparking situation,” said Quinnlan Davis, a senior filmmaking major and president of the Xi Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity inc. “It kind of is the repetitive cycle of violence in America when we tend to have disagreements and it’s just very unsettling to just see [it] continue.”
“While I don’t agree with anything that he has said in the past, [violence] is still not a solution,” said Micah Gary, a sophomore filmmaking major and vice president of Hofstra’s African Student Association. “There could have been another way to just shut him down.”
On Thursday, Sept. 11, Hofstra’s president, Susan Poser, sent out a statement regarding the assassination, stating: “We must all condemn, in the strongest terms, yesterday’s shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. It is tragic, and political violence of any kind goes against the promise of our democracy.”
In a proclamation issued shortly after Kirk’s death was confirmed, President Donald Trump ordered the United States flag to be flown at half-staff at the White House and on federal grounds across the country. Though unable to mandate the lowering of flags nationwide, Trump urged states to follow suit “as a mark of respect” for the late commentator. Decisions whether or not to lower flags have generated controversy in several municipalities, as residents and pundits have expressed dismay over the politicization of Kirk’s killing.
In the wake of the killing, conservative politicians have called for punitive measures against individuals and organizations celebrating his death.
After United Airlines fired a pilot for his social media posts about Kirk, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X on Sept. 14, thanking United Airlines for “doing what’s right by placing pilots celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk out of service.”
While guest-hosting the Charlie Kirk show on Monday, Vice President JD Vance encouraged listeners to identify people celebrating the influencer’s death. “When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out. And hell, call their employer,” Vance said.
Threats have been made to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and schools with a prominent Black population following Kirk’s death. Institutions across the United States have gone into lock down in response to these threats. At least five HBCUs have experienced some form of threat that has led to a lockdown.
Schools, such as Alabama State University (ASU), are taking extensive measures to ensure the safety of their students and faculty. Students are only allowed to leave buildings after a thorough sweep has been completed and the buildings are deemed clear.
“Campus Police, along with other law enforcement agencies, are actively clearing all buildings on campus,” read the official statement made by ASU.
New York University received threats of a possible shooting on Thursday, Sept. 11. The person who made these threats, self-identified as Michael J. Housmans, sent out an email threatening a possible attack along with a manifesto consisting of racist rhetoric and caricatures along with a justification of his actions.
