The Assassination of Charlie Kirk and Its Ripple Effect

Matthew Willar and Nick Ewing

News Editor, Business and Finance Manager

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. He was speaking at the first stop of his “The American Comeback Tour” when he was fatally shot in the neck and immediately rushed to the hospital. His death was reported by President Donald Trump at 4:40 p.m.

Kirk, a prominent figure among Generation Z, gained recognition for his “Prove Me Wrong” events, during which he visited college campuses and invited students to challenge his viewpoints. He was credited as one of the few people who got the youth to elect Trump in 2024.

In 2012, Kirk founded Turning Point USA. He founded the organization at 18, and by 2025, it had chapters on more than 2,000 campuses.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, chaos reigned both on Utah Valley’s campus and online. Police initially detained 71-year-old George Zinn, but quickly released him after discovering he had no connection to the crime. The brief arrest fueled rampant speculation and conspiracy theories on social media.

33 hours later, investigators identified the shooter as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson and took him into custody on charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice, among others.

Some commentators began speculating about possible Israeli involvement, pointing to Kirk’s complicated history of remarks on U.S.-Israeli relations. Though Kirk often praised Israel as a key ally to the U.S, he also publicly criticized American foreign aid packages, at times warning that unconditional support was not in “America’s best interest.”

Assumption students have been reacting to the news, with lectures held on campus and conversations in classrooms focusing on what transpired.

Keegan McLeod, a senior and President of Assumption’s Republican Club, described his initial reaction to the news, saying, “I had just sent out an email to the Republican Club about what we were going to talk about at the next meeting the following day. The first person who told me was my Mom, who texted me that Charlie Kirk got shot. I was surprised, of course, and I knew right away that he wasn’t going to make it.”

Social media has amplified reactions, with videos and live coverage of the incident sparking horror. Student Government Association Senate Speaker Austin Gatlin shared his reaction, saying, “I didn’t think it was real. I was in a class, and my phone was buzzing like crazy. Someone sent in a post from Twitter about what had happened, and after I read it, I was shook.”

Many have been questioning what the political implications will be following the fatal event. An anonymous business student, when asked this, said, “I believe that the political right will unify and finally start agreeing and become a dominant force in U.S. politics. I would put my life savings that the next President of the U.S. will be a Republican.”

Students in the political science department have expressed concern that the assasination will cause further divisions in the U.S. Chris Cox, a senior political science student, said, “The way the left and the right use his assassination will either reject or deny the opinions of the people, which will then further reinforce certain beliefs, which will then perpetuate the divide in American politics.”

Another political science student said, “Both sides seem noncommittal to effectively addressing the vitriolic rhetoric that they espouse about the respective opposition party. Unless both parties take a far more publicly neutral stance towards each other, violence is bound to continue escalating.”

In the weeks following his assassination, students and faculty have been reflecting on how the Assumption community can support and express opinions with one another. In a previously scheduled lecture titled “Constitution Day: Higher Education Reform and the First Amendment,” speaker Stephen McGuire discussed the importance of the First Amendment on college campuses. Talking about the recent firings of private employees of corporations over controversial remarks made regarding the assassination, Maguire expressed that they were not legally sound and not protected under the First Amendment.

On public college campuses, like Utah Valley University, this type of demeaning speech is treated differently, according to McGuire. Political Science professor Brigid Staab echoed this, saying, “We’ve seen a range of responses following the assassination, spanning from strong rejections of political violence to celebrations of the murder. For the most part, those celebrations have been limited to the individual level while major political parties and figures have firmly rejected political violence. I hope that this moment can be positive, leading to more unity and a recognition of the value of free speech and civil dialogue.”

Although some people felt Kirk’s views to be polarizing, one sentiment about his events was his eagerness to listen to opposing viewpoints and discuss why he disagreed with them. Professor Staab said regarding polarization, “If we are to find a way through this polarization, we need to be able to talk to—and befriend—those who hold different political opinions.”

At Assumption, students can engage in civil discussions through different clubs, organizations, or with faculty. Whether that be in political groups like the Republican Club, Assumption encourages people to express their beliefs civilly.

Gaitlin discussed how students can do this in a time like this, saying, “Many people have different opinions on what happened, but arguing doesn’t push us forward. We must accept that different people will have a different point of view on not just the situation, but life as a whole. We live in a time where too many people begin to judge others based on political affiliation rather than personal character.”

The assassination has raised new questions about free speech and political violence on campuses. Professor Staab shared her thoughts, saying, “Recent years have revealed tensions between free speech and university life, which is startling given that the university has traditionally recognized itself as the institution dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom and that this pursuit is best achieved through dialogue, argument, and the clash of ideas. The university’s role in American life needs to be defended today in a new way, and we must figure out what that defense should be.”

Kirk’s assassination has impacted the way many people feel about sharing their beliefs in public. McLeod said regarding this, “Everybody just needs to be more open and loud and proud about their opinions, but still be able to have respectful conversations like Charlie Kirk did so well.”

A memorial was held for Kirk on Sunday, Sept. 21, at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona. Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke in memory of their close friend and ally.