By: Victoria Keraj
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and media personality, was fatally shot while holding a debate event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
Kirk founded Turning Point U.S.A., an organization that aims to educate and promote Conservative values and policy initiatives such as patriotism and limited government.
Kirk was well known for hosting a series of “Prove Me Wrong” debates at colleges where students were able to debate with Kirk on political talking points and attempt to refute his views.
Kirk was answering a question on the number of mass shootings that had occurred in the last 10 years right before he was shot.
In a press conference posted by The Associated Press, announcing the arrest of the suspect, Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated that Kirk’s being killed while expressing political stances “makes it more difficult for people to feel like they can share their ideas.”
On the same day Kirk was shot, a separate shooting case took place at a high school in Colorado. Two injured students were taken to the hospital along with the shooter, who later died from self-inflicted gun wounds, according to The Denver Post. It was also reported that officials stated he’d been “radicalized by some extreme network.”
The day following Kirk’s death, multiple historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) received threat calls. Schools went into lockdown, and classes were cancelled according to The Associated Press. The article cites Don Beeler, a chief executive of TDR technology solutions, as saying “Swatting incidents typically increase after violent events, putting schools on edge.”
After Kirk’s death, politicians on both sides of the political aisle condemned the violence and offered condolences. Politico quoted NYC Mayoral Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani as saying “It cannot be a question of political agreement or alignment that allows us to mourn.”
Trump issued a directive that flags be held at half-mast and announced he would posthumously honor Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Trump has also expressed his sentiment that he hopes the culprit receives the death penalty.
People have experienced backlash over social media posts that asserted their lack of sympathy towards Kirk’s death.
MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd was fired after making statements saying that he believed Kirk was targeted because of his rightwing rhetoric, according to The Guardian. He was quoted as saying, “You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place.”
On Sept. 11, photos were released of a suspect who was taken into custody that evening at 10 p.m. in Utah, stated FBI director Kash Patel at the press conference held Friday.
Tyler Robinson, the suspect, turned himself in after being urged to by his father, who recognized him in the photos released, reported CNN.
The 22-year-old Robinson was registered as an independent voter and was a part of the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College, according to BBC News.
He will be charged on Tuesday, virtually from Utah County jail, where he is currently being held.
In response to the shooting, Republicans argued that the left’s rhetoric of making allusions to Hitler and Nazis when referring to Trump and his supporters is to blame.
Trump posted a video on Truth Social blaming “the radical left” for likening Kirk to Nazis and stated, “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.”
According to Axios, while some Democratic speakers mentioned gun reform during an argument that broke out at the House of Representatives, Democrats are cautious to use the situation as a time to argue for gun laws.