Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist, close ally of President Donald Trump, and founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University event Wednesday. The shooting quickly gained traction on social media, where folks from all sides of the aisle had things to say. KUNM spoke with students Thursday at the University of New Mexico, where Kirk spoke in 2022 at a gathering organized by a UNM chapter of Turning Point USA.
Turning Point is a far-right non-profit founded by Kirk in 2012. The organization says its mission is to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government”.
The group has received praise and criticism for giving conservative students a place to speak their mind on college campuses.
Kirk’s presence in 2022 at UNM caused an uproar and many students protested.
Regardless of political views, however, no one who spoke to KUNM is celebrating his death.
“I think he was an absolute scumbag. But at the same time, I am a full believer in freedom of speech, and I will always take hate speech over censorship,” said Will, a junior at UNM, who did not want to use his last name.
KUNM reached out to UNM’s Turning Point chapter, which directed questions to an email address, but there was no response.
Kirk held far-right political views on the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, and gun violence.
“I think it's worth to have the cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights,” Kirk said in April 2023.
Kirk held “Prove Me Wrong” rallies at universities as part of his “American Comeback Tour”, where he’d debate a topic with members of the audience. He was debating mass shootings just before he was shot.
Carol Moyo is a junior at UNM and spoke of the irony.
“I do think that no human life should be unjustly taken,” Moyo said, “I also think that when you condone violence and don't put any value on other people's lives consistently– it's not odd when people aren't putting any value on yours in the long run as well, ya know?,” she said. “It does feel like poetic justice a little bit.”
Most students said his death reflects both political division and gun violence in America.
“I think there's a bigger picture to be brought up,” said Brandon, a junior at UNM, who did not want to give his last name. “The bigger issue isn't Left versus Right. The two-party system is an issue. It's an issue with the government. It's not even just about guns, they [guns] definitely need to be reconsidered. But you know, this is just too coincidental for stuff to happen this frequently.”
As of publishing, the suspected shooter had still not been caught. You can find live updates on Kirk’s assassination at the Associated Press and NPR.
