Vigils Held Across Minnesota and Utah Following Charlie Kirk's Death at College Event
Enjoying this? Share it with someone who needs to see it.
Up Next
Andrew Kolvet Reflects on Charlie Kirk Memorial Service and the Movement's Future Under Erika Kirk
8:49
John Fund Reflects on Charlie Kirk's Assassination and the Dangers of Political Violence in America
6:59
Tyler Robinson Charged with Charlie Kirk's Murder as Jacksonville Prepares for Memorial Service
2:32
Vigils Held Across Minnesota and Utah Following Charlie Kirk's Death at College Event
Communities in Minnesota and Utah gathered to mourn the loss of Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder who was killed at a college event in Utah at age 31. Hundreds attended prayer services and candlelight vigils across multiple locations, while students at Utah Valley University returned to campus grappling with trauma. Kirk's official memorial service is scheduled for Sunday in Arizona, and the organization he founded announced that their previously scheduled event at the University of Minnesota will proceed as planned.
Hundreds of people gathered at vigils across Minnesota to honor Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder who was killed at a college event in Utah. At Delano Central Park, a large crowd came together for worship, prayer, and a candlelight vigil to mourn Kirk, who died at just 31 years old.
"We lost not only a friend, an older brother," said a representative from Turning Point USA who personally knew Kirk. The emotional gathering provided space for community members to pray and weep together.
Simultaneously, another vigil took place in Eden Prairie. The organizer explained the purpose behind these gatherings: "The whole point is that when Charlie Kirk died, the nation was mourning. And so people are sad. They need to get out into their community and take up that public space and pray with people."
Turning Point USA announced that their event originally scheduled with Kirk on Monday at the University of Minnesota will proceed as planned.
Utah Valley University Students Process Trauma
Classes resumed at Utah Valley University one week after Kirk was shot and killed on campus. Many students reported still processing the traumatic experience of witnessing the event.
"Extremely traumatic and something no one should ever be able to say, 'I've witnessed a school shooting.' Let alone the assassination of one of your greatest heroes," one student shared.
Another student expressed the violation of safety that many felt: "It's a little scary, you know, cuz we promise whenever we go to like our schools and everything by everybody that we'll be saved. You know, this is somewhere that we go to further our lives and it could be also the place where it ends our lives."
The university is offering counseling services to students both on campus and virtually. A campus vigil is scheduled for Friday.
Memorial Service Scheduled in Arizona
Charlie Kirk's official memorial service is scheduled for Sunday in Arizona, where communities will gather to pay final respects to the activist and organization founder.
Network Responds to Controversial Comments
ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel's late night show indefinitely following comments he made about Kirk's killing. The decision came after Nextar announced it would pull the show from its stations. Nextar, which owns more than 200 television stations including 32 ABC affiliates, called Kimmel's comments about Kirk's death "offensive and insensitive."
