A San Francisco community is stunned after the horrific stabbing death of a father who was walking his son home from elementary school on Wednesday.

A suspect in the incident was arrested on Friday about 170 miles away in Tuolumne County, but San Francisco police have not released many details from the horrible attack.

‘Immediately after this incident occurred, our officers began a tireless investigation to identify and apprehend the suspect. … We were relentless.’

Police said the stabbing was reported at about 4:30 p.m just yards away from the Commodore Sloat Elementary School at the crosswalk between Ocean Ave. and Junipero Serra Blvd.

“The homicide was horrific,” said San Francisco Police Department Interim Chief Paul Yep. “A father who was walking across the street with his son was fatally stabbed in the crosswalk after getting into an altercation with the suspect.”

The victim was identified as 35-year-old Robert Paul Byrd II.

His father said on social media that Byrd died while holding the hand of his 8-year-old son.

An altercation was reported between Byrd and the suspect, but few details were released about the nature of the argument.

“There were words that were exchanged, and other people heard the commotion and what was happening, and the perpetrator stabbed the victim and ran away,” said Supervisor Myrna Melgar, whose district includes the school.

Yep said dozens of officers worked around the clock to identify the suspect. They used evidence gathered from license plate readers, drones, surveillance cameras, and eyewitness accounts.

“Immediately after this incident occurred, our officers began a tireless investigation to identify and apprehend the suspect,” Yep said. “We were relentless.”

RELATED: Disturbing image caught on video before remains of 5-year-old were found dumped at LA parking lot

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins tried to reassure the public by saying the attack was not random in nature, but offered no other details. She added that they are still trying to determine the exact charges to file against the suspect.

“The message is clear: If you commit a crime — especially a violent crime — we will find you, and we will arrest you,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said.

A GoFundMe account set up for the victim’s family has raised more than $62K.

“Robert was a devoted father, a loving son, and a joyful presence to everyone who knew him,” the description on the page reads. “Family and friends remember him as someone who brought laughter and warmth wherever he went, a person who took life seriously but always found ways to share joy.”

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When Charlie Kirk “passed into glory” last week, hearts across America — and even the world — were broken. Many turned to the Bible, seeking consolation amid the anger and the tears in the aftermath of such blatant evil. These scriptures, as they were for Charlie during his lifetime, were helpful and healing to those mourning his untimely death.

Consider that one of the very last things Charlie said was from 2 Corinthians 5:15:

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

Charlie certainly would have wanted that from us: to go to the Bible for comfort. And so many family, friends, and colleagues (such as myself) did, using holy scripture to reflect on that great aspiration that Charlie now knows personally to be true: Jesus welcoming him into His heavenly kingdom with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

Free speech is the cornerstone of freedom itself, a principle Charlie embodied to an entire generation around the world.

Others echoed St. Paul, saying that Charlie:

Fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith. Now there is in store for [him] the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to [him] on that day — and not only to [Charlie], but also to all who have longed for His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Personally, however, after wading through hours of deep sorrow, not only for the loss of a sweet man of stellar character and demeanor, but moreover for the possible fate of our fragile nation, I did not find total consolation in the scriptures — that is, not until I texted my brother-in-law words that jumped into my mind from Hebrews 11.

In that section of the New Testament, the author of Hebrews lists a litany of all the saints down through the ages (up until the mid-first century, that is). The writer draws a conclusion about all these saints using this phrase: “of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38).

Soon after my text, I happened to find this appropriate headline at, of all places, the Babylon Bee: “World Deemed Unworthy of Charlie Kirk.”

This expression resonated with me because it seemed so appropriate. It also instantly reminded me of the book “The Hiding Place” about Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy, who died in a concentration camp after the Nazis discovered their “crime” of hiding Jewish people. Betsy was certainly one of many from that dark era in world history “of whom the world was not worthy.” But it was because of saints like Betsy and Corrie who put their very lives on the line that the world emerged from its darkness into a new day of hope.

Just two days before Charlie’s assassination, I had written about what I saw to be the left’s chief nemesis: “The number one thing that those on the left hate is free speech.”

This hatred materializes ultimately in violence and death, which was proven true two days later in Orem, Utah.

Free speech is the cornerstone of freedom itself, a principle Charlie embodied to an entire generation around the world. His assassination was a symbolic killing of that freedom, too — but only if Charlie died in vain.

Jesus reminds us that “unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).

RELATED: Charlie Kirk sparks viral Christian revival: ‘I’m going to go take his seat for him’

Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images

Now, the righteous fight that Charlie began is in the hands of those who continue to follow Jesus, the Prince of Peace:

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I know, like others, I am still far away from shaking the ill-effects of that awful hour I learned that Charlie passed away. But I will continue to find the exceedingly abundant scriptures and words of Jesus that will help me make eternal sense of it all. Let me close with these final words of encouragement from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:

Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)­­­­­­­­­­­­Editor’s note: A version of this article appeared originally at American Thinker.

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If you used the Bluesky app in the past couple of days, it would be hard not to notice just how bloodthirsty the Democratic Party has become — especially in the wake of the assassination of the right’s beloved Charlie Kirk.

One trend on the social media app has taken BlazeTV hosts Jill Savage and Matthew Peterson by surprise.

“There are a ton of crazies over there,” Savage says on “Blaze News: The Mandate.” “I am not on there, but they are basically saying, ‘Who’s next for all of this?’”

Leftists have been posting who they hope falls victim to the same fate as Charlie Kirk.

The most repeated names on this list include President Trump, J.K. Rowling, Joe Rogan, Matt Walsh, Ben Shapiro, Libs of TikTok, and Elon Musk.

“Charlie Kirk is dead (and has been for a few hours), Trump next please,” one user wrote on the left’s version of X.

“Unfortunately, this is what we will have to continue to deal with,” Savage says.

Blaze Media D.C. correspondent Christopher Bedford is also completely disturbed.

“The threats are real. The copycats are going to happen,” Bedford says.

“This really is a point where we can decide that we’re going to get better, or we can decide that we’re going to get much worse, much more quickly. And it’s going to take a serious turn by society, a serious rejection by the American left, by the universities — not just these businesses and these sports teams, but by the university system — of this kind of crap in order for this to actually have any kind of impact,” he explains.

“There needs to be significantly more accountability than there is right now. And funds need to be taken,” he continues. “And all these nonprofits that for the last five years have spent time funneling money towards bail funds for rioters, towards printing T-shirts that have guns on them with the trans flag that says ‘defend it’ … these people who fund groups that are professional agitators — well, those funds need to be ceased, and those boards of directors need to be investigated. These are crimes.”

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I’ve seen so many people say they don’t understand why Charlie Kirk’s murder hit them so hard. They can’t explain it. Maybe my perspective as a recovering California liberal who now mourns his memory can help.

I attended my first Turning Point USA event in 2022, right around the time I committed myself to Christ. I was a fish out of water.

For context: In late 2021, CBS News fired me from my job at its San Diego affiliate for resisting the COVID shot. That deserves its own chapter someday, but the short version is this: I no longer knew where I belonged.

I had spent years climbing the small-markets-big-dreams world of local TV news, always chasing the hope of one day reporting for a major left-leaning outlet. My laptop carried a feminist bumper sticker my mom gave me. That was my identity.

But everything shifted when I saw the crimes against humanity news agencies committed during the COVID years. It was like someone ripped off my rose-colored glasses and stomped them into the ground.

My husband — then my boyfriend — and I fled to a quiet island in Florida, home mostly to retirees. I reported independently on Rumble, without a political identity. The “inclusive” Democrats had exiled me. And plenty of Republicans revealed themselves as spineless accomplices to the lies.

If 2020 didn’t wake you up to evil, let 2025 be the year that finally does.

On my channel I interviewed fellow truth-seekers, many of whom had been censored into silence elsewhere. Then I noticed something: A number of those same people were scheduled to speak at an event about an hour from me.

So I applied for a press pass and was accepted. It was the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in downtown Tampa, July 2022.

I barely knew who Charlie Kirk was. That’s no disrespect. I had lived too long inside an ideological echo chamber. Back in college in California, I remember hearing about TPUSA and assuming it was a gun club that met for target practice. I had no idea.

My husband asked me, “Why are you going to this? You could interview these people over Zoom.” I told him I felt isolated and needed to see that I wasn’t alone. It was refreshing to witness what Charlie had built — to look around and see young people who shared my concerns about the world or at least were curious.

Thousands packed the convention center. I don’t know the exact number, but I know what I saw: a full hall of people. At the time, our online communities were censored and deleted almost daily. We had to meet in person. And there they were — young, unmasked, unafraid.

As press, I’ve always felt comfortable covering events. That comes naturally after years on the job. But this was different. I wasn’t sure I “fit in,” almost in the high-school sense. What I discovered was a community where I could question the lunacy of those times without being shunned.

The building itself was massive, the air conditioning blasting to fight the summer humidity. Lines stretched all day for the headliner: President Trump. I hadn’t seen him in person since his visit to South Dakota in 2018. At the time, I told friends and family that I thought he was a buffoon.

Back in Florida in 2022, the energy inside that building felt less like a political rally and more like a concert I might have danced at in my 20s — electric, charged, alive. The speakers, staff, and volunteers knew how to connect with young people without condescension.

I remember Karoline Leavitt’s debut as a congressional candidate. She was young, but her off-the-cuff remarks blew me away. At a time when the modern Democratic Party punished dissent and silenced questions, Charlie created a space where people felt at home. We had been locked down, socially distanced, and starved for connection. He gave it back.

RELATED: The ‘normie conquest’: Millions just joined the right overnight

Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images

At first, I assumed most of the crowd were lifelong conservatives — country-club Republicans with Ronald Reagan portraits on their bedroom walls. I was wrong. Again and again, I met people with stories just like mine: raised in progressive circles, until COVID shattered their illusions. Wash, rinse, repeat. The same pattern everywhere.

That’s what TPUSA became to me — speakers, roundtables, booths — but more than that, a community. I’ll never forget Charlie walking right past me as I fumbled with my phone tripod, too respectful to interrupt as he hurried to his next commitment.

Since then, I’ve interviewed and built relationships with members of his team. We even share mutual friends. Charlie’s pastor introduced my husband and me to his son-in-law, who later counseled and married us in 2023, quoting Corinthians as the Santa Ana winds carried our vows before family and friends.

I never spoke to Charlie. I still don’t know exactly where I “fit in” or if TPUSA defines that. What I do know is this: God called me to be a journalist — to report fearlessly and to love people with the grace He’s shown me. And now, I wish I had stopped to shake Charlie’s hand and thank him for giving the so-called silent majority a space to breathe.

Fast-forward to September 10, 2025. I was at a train station in Connecticut when my phone lit up with the horrible news. Charlie Kirk was gone. An assassin’s bullet had taken him. I closed my eyes and prayed. When I opened them, I saw his name and face glowing on the iPhone screens of strangers around me.

For me, the grief quickly gave way to something else — a reality check. A line had been crossed.

The satanists want us dead. Some radical leftists want us silenced. Maybe you think that sounds dramatic. But scroll through their posts. Read the bile. You’ll lose your appetite.

Over the last five years, I’ve paid a price for my changing beliefs. Maybe you can relate. I’ve been quietly dropped from parties without explanation. Longtime “friends” unfollowed me out of fear they’d lose opportunities if they stayed connected. People I knew in real life viciously targeted me online. Immediate family members met me with insults instead of hugs — one even blocked me altogether.

No stranger, no random keyboard warrior, ever treated me with as much hatred as those close to me. Not even close. I’ve received threats to my safety. And yet, Jesus — and the people He placed in my life — carried me through in ways I can hardly describe. Some relationships even deepened through mutual respect. But Charlie bore a cost none of us can fully imagine. He put his grassroots efforts on stage for the world to see. The consequences he accepted ultimately claimed his life.

I knew refusing the COVID shot, loving God, flying an American flag instead of a Pride or Ukraine flag, and voting on principles rather than celebrity endorsements would make some people dislike me. I expected a few would even hate me. I prayed others might come around. I was naïve.

Now I know some people don’t just hate us. They want us dead. And they no longer bother to hide it. Read that again: A nauseating number of people openly wish death on us. Scroll social media and you’ll see it — teachers, military members, nurses, even mental health workers. For me, it’s my own town’s pharmacist.

Unfortunately, assassinations and assassination attempts against presidents have marked American history. Deranged people have always sought to kill presidents. But Charlie Kirk wasn’t president. He wasn’t even old enough to run. He never held office.

He was 31 years old. He was a Christian. He was a conservative.

In 2025, that alone was enough for a death sentence — and for neighbors to mock and celebrate his murder online.

RELATED: ‘Demon-possessed’: Why spiritual darkness is behind recent killings

The Hell. Found in the Collection of Battistero di San Giovanni, Firenze.Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images

That’s the gut punch. Some knew this already, but I still carried a sliver of rose-colored hope until it was ripped away last week.

The satanists want us dead. Some radical leftists want us silenced. Maybe you think that sounds dramatic. But scroll through their posts. Read the bile. You’ll lose your appetite.

These people, consumed by rage and virtue-signaling darkness, write declarations of violence like a virus eating away at their souls. Not all will pull the trigger. But plenty of the people you pass at the pharmacy, the school drop-off, or the grocery store openly posted that killing us would be a service to the world. One less Trump supporter. One less Bible-thumper. One more enemy erased.

That’s what mass Trump derangement syndrome looks like. That’s what a godless society produces.

Now you understand why Charlie’s murder hit you harder than you can explain. If 2020 didn’t wake you up to evil, let 2025 be the year that finally does.

And if you’re one of the people who think fellow Americans deserve to be brutally murdered — whether you boasted about it online or just let it rot inside you — seek help. Immediately. Humbly. Turn it over to God. He can heal you.

May God save us from the depravity we’ve unleashed. May He bless Charlie Kirk’s grieving family. And may we take up the charge together. Charlie’s voice has been silenced. It’s up to us to be his angels.

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