Photo credit – Yahoo
Charlie Kirk, the prominent conservative advocate, was murdered at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday, doing something he was committed to – returning the concept of dialog in pursuit of truth to our college campuses.
Kirk, 31, the founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, was hosting the first of 15 fall events entitled “The American Comeback Tour” – a tour that was scheduled to come to the University of Minnesota on September 22nd. There were reportedly 2,000 plus students at the outdoor venue. The event was like the hundred or more campus events Kirk has held over the years, with Kirk taking a seat under a small canopy and welcoming respectful and challenging dialog with anyone on any issue.
The event had just begun and Kirk was taking questions from an attendee, when a single shot was fired. Initial reports indicated the shot was believed to have come from the rooftop of a building about 200 yards in front of Kirk. The shot struck Kirk in the neck. He was rushed to a local hospital by his security team but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Many on the left have labeled Kirk and the events as “divisive,” but anyone who has taken the time to watch some of these events knows the truth. Kirk was always respectful and kind and was immensely talented at boiling away rhetoric that would otherwise derail productive debate.
Kirk focused on facts, history, reason and logic – all the while remaining unapologetically conservative and devoutly Christian. His work was profoundly important at a time when college campuses had become “no go zones” for conservative opinions and policy advocacy.
There is a reason Kirk’s events had become so popular – young people have been yearning for dialog and an end to the open hostility towards conservatism that dominates so many campuses. Kirk’s murder has the potential to either stifle productive dialog or energize it even more. I remain eternally optimistic in the latter.
Update on the manhunt
The FBI has announced that the suspected murder weapon, a bolt action rifle, was found in a wooded area a short distance from the scene. Law enforcement officials have also said they are actively investigating the movements of the suspect, who they have described as a college aged person wearing dark clothing. Various video cameras captured the suspect arriving at the scene shortly before the event began, then accessing the roof of an adjacent building using internal stairwells. The FBI released these still photos of the suspect this morning.
Several sources on social media have reported details that have not been confirmed by officials. They include images of a single person dressed in dark clothing on the rooftop facing Kirk’s event. Some unofficial sources have reported that there were messages written on the bullets found in the rifle – an aspect similar to the recent Annunciation Church shooting in Minneapolis.
Final thoughts
A bolt-action rifle is similar to that used by hunters. It does not fit into the broad definition of an “assault rifle” capable of firing multiple rounds in quick succession, nor does it have a high-capacity magazine – two items which gun control advocates have been focusing on as a way to combat “gun violence.”
This fact exposes the flaws with the gun control narratives that advocate more restrictions on certain firearms. Look at the high-profile murders of Minnesota Legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband, or the single most deadly school shooting in history (Virginia Tech) – both carried out using handguns, not “assault rifles.” Look at Minnesota’s much touted “Red Flag” law failed to prevent a clearly troubled and violent individual from obtaining firearms in the recent Annunciation School shooting in Minnesota.
We don’t need more laws or restrictions. We need a heightened focus on enforcement, prosecution, and incapacitation of violent offenders. We need more mental health resources and bed capacity for secure treatment. We need a renewed emphasis on faith and families, and especially on the value of life. We are currently failing woefully at each of these needs.
The identity of the shooter and the motive behind Charlie Kirk’s murder will likely further polarize our nation. Conservatives must model the appropriate response, demonstrating that we can differ without violence, and that we will not abandon the ideal of dialog in pursuit of truth.
