Mourners honor Charlie Kirk on Utah Candlelight vigil
The murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk led to vigils and gatherings across the country to honor him.
WASHINGTON – Trump administration officials, Republican lawmakers and other supporters gathered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on September 14 to pay tribute to conservative icon Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot on the University of Utah campus.
More than an hour before the prayer vigil began, a line of attendees behind a red velvet rope stretched out through the door and around the building. Some attendees sported a “Make America Great Again” hat and t-shirt along with the slogan. “If your gender confuses you, milk the bull,” read one man’s shirt.
A series of police vehicles were parked on the drive to Kennedy Center, Washington’s iconic theatre overlooking the Potomac River. Thousands of people were crammed into the big theater at Kennedy Center. Some raised their hands as the trio performed and sang Christian religious songs to launch the ceremony.
According to a news release from Arizona Senator Jake Hoffman (R), the vigil was made public due to Kirk’s “overwhelming overflow of supporters from supporters.” Hoffman was holding an event.
Several senior officials were expected to share their remarks and prayer, including National Intelligence Director Mike Johnson, White House Press Secretary Caroline Lewitt, and among others, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of Health and Human Services.
Kirk has become a national figure as a conservative activist and as a co-founder of Turning Point USA, an organization promoting conservative politics on high school and university campuses. Kirk, 31, was at Utah Valley University on September 10th and launched his “American Comeback Tour” when he was fatally shot in front of attendees.
College student on Kirk’s death: “It really hit me hard.”
Kirk was planning to visit Virginia Tech. There, James Hughes is a senior studying communication in late September. When Kirk was shot dead, Hughes said he was shaking and left tears in his eyes.
“I will never forget that,” Hughes, 22, told USA Today as he stood outside the Kennedy Center on Sunday evening to attend Kirk’s vigil. “When I saw what had happened, I literally started crying.”
“It really hit me so hard that this could actually happen in this country,” he added. Republican Hughes said he was already afraid that political violence would burn before Kirk’s murder.
“It was reaching a very dangerous point, but this really just put me on the edge,” he said.
Morner wants a political “turning point”
Christine Carmody, 65, came to Kirk’s vigil from his home in Frederick County, Maryland, to pay “respect” to “a wonderful, wonderful man.”
“It’s very sad for our country,” said Carmody, a retired accountant. “He’s a great person and just preaching what he really believed.”
Carmody said he hopes Kirk’s death will be a “turning point.” She did not closely track his campus tour, but the issues that Kirk spoke about were consistent with Carmody’s conservative beliefs.
“I also really believe that President Trump would not take office now if Charlie Kirk had never done anything,” she said.
“I’ll fight back.”
At the convention four years ago, 19-year-old Joseph Castalett got the opportunity to ask Kirk the question, “What do you do when there’s someone you’re a hound?” due to political beliefs.
Kirk’s answer was to “stay tight,” Castalet recalled as he stood in front of the Kennedy Center. Castalett said Kirk urged him to win college and instead moved to Washington, D.C. to graduate high school for an internship for Florida Rep. Laurel Lee.
He said Kirk’s murder was part of the political vein that pushed him further away in political spheres.
“I’m ready to fight back. If they attack me, I’ll fight back,” he said.
