Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
September 10, 2025
Charlie Kirk, the enormously popular conservative commentator, influencer, and co-founder of Turning Point USA died at the hands of an assassin’s bullet while responding to a question about transgender school shooters during an event at Utah Valley University. The lone fatal bullet hit Kirk, just 31, in the carotid artery on the left side of his neck, shortly after noon MDT. Witnesses reported blood gushing out of Kirk’s neck. Confirmation of Kirk’s death came from President Donald Trump at 4:40 PM EDT. Kirk died at Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem, Utah.
“The Great, and even Legendary Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us,” posted Trump on his Truth Social network. Trump also called for flags to be lowered to half-staff through Sunday, September 14.
Ironically, a self-taught college dropout himself, Kirk entered the belly of the beast visiting campus after campus from coast to coast to challenge the students living in their echo chambers. His purpose on campus had been not to lecture, but to debate any and all comers. In the interest of calling for an open exchange of ideas Kirk would typically open his events with, “if you disagree with me, move to the front of the line.” It did not appear that any topic was off limits, but favorites of his audiences usually included, abortion, American values, Judeo-Christian values, faith, capitalism, democracy, socialism, and communism. Having seen several of these Kirk-student exchanges on YouTube, Kirk masterfully gave students more than enough rope from which to hang themselves, and typically by their own words, leaving them twisting into the ground.
Charles James Kirk, born in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, IL co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 at just 18 years of age. Kirk’s co-founder of the non-profit was businessman William “Bill” Montgomery (1940-2020). Strongly advocating for conservative issues and politics, Turning Point USA proudly boasts of more than 3,500 chapters on high school and college campuses, totaling more than 250,000 members, and the Utah Valley University event appeared on the schedule as part of the American Comeback Tour. Utah Valley University is located in Orem about 40 miles south of the state capital of Salt Lake City. It is the largest university in Utah, with more than 40,000 students. More than 2,000 people attended the Kirk event of September 10. The large numbers of people attending Kirk’s events on campuses required most of them to be held in outdoor venues, such as the quad near the food court at Utah Valley.
“When people stop talking, that’s when violence happens,” Kirk often said.
This is not the first volley in the politically violent war on conservatives by the rabid, extreme left. This is yet another phase in the culture war, vying for the hearts, minds, and soul of America. A supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (DS-VT) shot four men, including then House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) at a baseball practice on June 14, 2017 in Alexandria, VA. Another far leftist assassinated Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare in New York City on December 4, 2024. An extremist antisemite assassinated Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim - two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, DC on May 21, 2025. Deranged trans leftists are responsible for shootings at two religious schools - three students and three adults murdered at Covenant School in the Nashville suburb of Green Hills on March 27, 2023, and just last month two students lost their lives at the Annunciation Catholic School in the Minneapolis suburb of Windom on August 27. And of course, two attempts on the life of President Trump during the 2024 campaign.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared his thoughts on the assassination of Kirk on X: “Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly that visit will not take place. We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact. Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk.”
Kirk’s popularity and strong following helped him change an election. Kirk understood young people, and Trump garnered a greater percentage of their votes in 2024 versus 2020. In the under age 30 constituency Trump won 41 percent of the male vote in 2020, improving to 56 percent in 2024. With women, Trump earned 33 percent of their vote in 2020, rising to 40 percent in 2024. Trump largely credited Kirk for those electoral successes. (Source: Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement - CIRCLE)
In his personal life, Kirk enjoyed success and many blessings, having married his wife Erika in 2021. The couple welcomed their daughter in 2022 and their son in 2024. They must now soldier on without a husband and a father, but with the support of a movement he created.
That movement must not only carry on in Kirk’s stead, it must continue to grow and thrive to preserve Kirk’s memory and that he did not perish in vain. Kirk’s supporters, those thousands and thousands on the myriad campuses across the nation must ensure his legacy by speaking up, speaking out, speaking louder - now more than ever to let his assassin know they will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead, like waking a sleeping lion from a long slumber, the roar must be heard from coast to coast. That conservative, American, Judeo-Christian values will win the day, month, year, and millennium.
“Honor the Sabbaths and turn your phones off one day a week,” Kirk also said.
Charlie Kirk, a champion of free speech, traversing college campuses the nation over, gave an open forum for all who wanted to "ask me anything," and to "prove me wrong," as the signage said at his events. He strove to conduct open debate with anyone who disagreed with him, taking on all challengers. Charlie Kirk lived for free speech, and now he has died because of free speech. His name will undoubtedly be invoked, and Charlie Kirk will be martyred through the 2026 midterms. Yes, this is a political assassination. Charlie Kirk's death, his murder, is a hate crime, a political assassination. Charlie Kirk was murdered - assassinated because of his love of country, his love of his children, and his love of Christ.
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.
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