Charlie Kirk, 31, was a political activist, co-founder of Turning Point USA and an influential voice for young conservatives. He was a husband and the father of two children under 10. On Wednesday, Sept. 10, Kirk was speaking to students at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University when he was shot in the neck. He died shortly after.
Luke Roberts, Junior
“Man, it was definitely pretty scary. It feels as though, as a country, we’re leaning more towards violence than diplomacy and discussion. One thing I really know is that Charlie Kirk invited a lot of free speech and good conversation. Instead of putting out only his side of matters, he was willing to have debates.”
Isabella Santacruz, Junior
“I personally didn’t agree with his views, but I don’t think it’s okay to kill somebody just because they don’t have the same beliefs as you.”
Abby Lacombe, Sophomore
“I literally hated him, but I don’t think that people should think that they have the right to shoot someone because of their beliefs. I do feel really bad for his family, but I feel like he kind of brought this upon himself because he went and talked about things that people were really defensive and passionate about.”
Principal, Matt Harvey
“To me, I think this shows how we can be better about helping people deal with conflict. Because when people feel a lack of hope, they sometimes revert to violence. Personally, I think it’s just so sad to see how division can lead to such tragic consequences.”
