Ruth Marshall is an associate professor for the study of religion and political science at the University of Toronto. She was among the many leftists who evidently figured the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Wednesday was a good thing. Marshall actually went a step further than some radicals, suggesting the fatal shooting of the unarmed father of two was not brutal enough.

Marshall — a radical who has spent well over a decade yammering about post-colonialism, the limits of liberalism, and religious violence — wrote in an X post just hours after the Turning Point USA founder was fatally shot while attempting to engage in spirited debate on a university campus, “Shooting is honestly too good for so many of you fascist c**ts.”

RELATED: New York Times continues SPLC demonization of Charlie Kirk, accuses him of provocation

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford told the Toronto Sun on Thursday, “That is disgusting.”

“Sick people,” the premier added.

Hours after Blaze News pressed the university and its chancellor for comment on Marshall’s vile remarks, a spokesperson responded, stating, “The university took immediate action upon learning of the concerning social media posts of a University of Toronto professor. The faculty member is now on leave and not on campus.”

It should be noted that being put on leave is not the same as being terminated.

“The matter is being looked into, and the University will not be commenting further,” the spokesperson added.

The Toronto Sun’s Brian Lilley claimed that Marshall, whose banner image on X signals her support for so-called decolonization in both Canada and the Middle East, recently called his publication a fascist organization and implored other radicals to shut it down.

Marshall did not respond to Blaze News’ request for comment by deadline.

Other callous academics came out of the woodwork in the immediate aftermath of Kirk’s death, signaling their tolerance for slaughtering people who hold differing viewpoints.

Joseph Derosier, a professor of international studies at Beloit College in Wisconsin who writes about queer theory, appears to be among them. Derosier allegedly shared a video to social media of an atheist gleefully suggesting that the fatal wounding of Kirk in the neck brought him 1% closer to believing in God.

Blaze News has reached out both to Derosier and Beloit College for comment.

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The 71-year-old Utah man detained immediately after the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is a well-known local gadfly who has “no current ties to the shooting,” according to the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Video of George Hodgson Zinn surrounded by police went viral on social media, with active speculation that the septuagenarian was the gunman who shot Kirk, but that story wilted fast once police identified and interviewed Zinn.

‘Who needs guns when robbery is occurring with a sweet smile on the faces of the employees?’

“We initially took in George Zinn as a suspect. He was later released and charged with obstruction by UVU police,” the UDPS said in a statement. “A second suspect, Zachariah Qureshi, was taken into custody and released after interrogation with law enforcement. There are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals.”

Zinn was filmed being dragged away by police as members of the crowd screamed, “How dare you!” and called him a “f**king monster.” He looked at protesters screaming at him and shouted back, “Shoot me! Shoot me!”

Zinn’s pants fell around his ankles, and police then had to carry him away from the scene. A police officer can be heard on the video saying, “He said he shot him, but I don’t know.”

RELATED: Charlie Kirk assassination timeline: What we know so far

Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd after arriving at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah.Photo by Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images

Zinn is well known to police and many in the Salt Lake City area for being an often-unwanted presence at entertainment and political events. Online records indicate that he has nearly two dozen arrests dating back at least 25 years for criminal trespass, obstruction, disturbing the peace, and other charges.

His most serious offense came in 2013, when he was charged with sending an email bomb threat to the Salt Lake City Marathon.

Zinn pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for making a bomb threat. He was originally charged with a second-degree felony. He was sentenced to probation but violated probation terms. As a result he spent some time in jail, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

The Salt Lake Tribune described Zinn as an “occasionally ubiquitous activist,” noting that he is a regular figure at political rallies, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and even the Sundance Film Festival.

A Florida newspaper spotted him at the 2022 Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, peddling what the paper considered “baseless” 2020 presidential election-fraud claims.

Zinn is a regular contributor to newspaper opinion pages. In August 2000, he complained to the Daily Utah Chronicle about price-gouging on food items sold on campus. “Who needs guns when robbery is occurring with a sweet smile on the faces of the employees as they empty our wallets for a few cheap items and rotten service?” he wrote.

In July 2019, Zinn joined protesters half his age at the Utah Inland Port Authority. The protesters were forced from the building, leading to “violent confrontations that included punches being thrown during clashes with police,” a newspaper report stated.

Zinn joined a crowd of 1,000 at the University of Utah in January 2009 to welcome newly inaugurated President Barack Obama.

“Why not? He’s our new president, and I’m glad he’s coming in with that level of support,” the Republican Zinn told the Daily Herald.

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Yesterday, Charlie Kirk, beloved conservative voice and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed by a gunman while speaking at an event for his American Comeback Tour on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, Utah.

The news of his death has shaken conservative America to its core.

“I’ve only felt this way one time before,” Glenn Beck says. “I had just signed a contract with Premiere Radio Networks, and my show was to begin on January 1, 2002. And then tragedy struck at the World Trade Center, and I was called and told, ‘You start tomorrow.’”

“I spent most of the day and the night by my bedside praying for the words to share with you on that day. I spent most of the day yesterday in that same position. I pray that the words that I need to speak to you today come from Him and that you hear them,” he says through tears.

“There are moments when words from another age suddenly feel as though they were written for this moment,” Glenn says.

He references the famous 1947 poem by Dylan Thomas titled “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,” which is written from the perspective of a son pleading with his ailing father to fight against impending death.

“Do not go gentle into that good night / Rage, rage against the dying of the light,” the speaker beseeches.

Thomas’ words are “a mandate for all of us,” Glenn says. “Do not go quietly when truth is on the line. Do not surrender. Do not surrender to the shadows, even when — and especially if — you think the battle can no longer be won.”

“Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who wanted him silenced. But Charlie pressed on. In his short life, he embodied that defiance.”

But he did it not with hatred or vengeance but with “the kind of righteous defiance that has always marked those who refuse to bow to the idols of our age,” Glenn says.

Like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, who “raged against the certainty of an empire,” knowing full well that “the gallows awaited them,” Charlie Kirk fearlessly fought the encroaching darkness of our time.

“Every single generation is called to resist the temptation to go quietly into the good night. It’s just our turn,” Glenn says.

He compares Charlie’s shocking death to “a knockout punch … another body blow in a season that is already heavy with grief.”

But we are not out of the game. If anything, Charlie’s death is a rally call — a cry for courage and strength in the face of unspeakable evil.

“I am here to tell you, if his life meant anything, it’s this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option,” Glenn says.

“He did not go gently. He stood. He spoke. He challenged. He knew, as Dylan Thomas wrote, that even the wise men and the good men must resist the dying of the light because surrender only hastens the darkness.”

“Today, that mantle falls to us — to me, to you, to every single person alive today that hears my voice,” he says.

“You and I cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage. But rage not with hatred … not with anger, but with courage. Rage not in violence, but in truth-telling. Rage against the lies, against the apathy, against the hopelessness that says there is nothing you can do,” he continued.

“There is always something you can do,” Glenn encourages.

“The most defiant act in an age when the world throws hate around like it could be purchased in any dime store or 7-Eleven is an act of kindness. When you offer nothing but love, kindness, and the unrelenting truth, those are the flames in the night. Those are the flames that hold back the darkness.”

“My friend Charlie Kirk carried that torch. He was forced to lay it down yesterday. And it is ours to pick up.”

To hear Glenn’s full response, watch the episode above.

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As the manhunt continues for the assassin in the killing of Charlie Kirk, Democratic leaders are deflecting blame while hypocritically pointing the finger at Republicans.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both New York Democrats, rushed to gain the attention of media microphones to inoculate the left from blame.

‘This is awful and the assassination of Charlie Kirk risks an uncorking of political chaos and violence that we cannot risk in America.’

Schumer and Jeffries were asked by a reporter to comment on President Donald Trump blaming the left for the rhetoric that may have led to the assassination of the conservative activist.

“This is a time that all Americans should come together and mourn what happened. Violence, which affects so many different people of so many different political persuasions, is an affliction of America,” said Schumer to reporters.

“And coming together is what we ought to be doing, not pointing fingers of blame,” he continued.

“This moment requires leadership that brings the American people together as opposed to further divide us,” said Jeffries.

“Political violence in any form against any American is unacceptable, to be denounced by everyone, and moving forward, we have to figure out a better way to come together,” he added. “Not as Democrats or Republicans but as Americans.”

RELATED: ‘It’s the death of free speech!’ Jay Leno expresses his shock at killing of Charlie Kirk

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York made an especially passionate screed against Trump.

“They can finger-point all they want. Look at the record!” said Ocasio-Cortez in comments captured by Manu Raju of CNN.

“Look at the actions of what we’re actually doing. I don’t think a single person who has dedicated their entire career to preventing gun safety legislation from getting passed in this House has any right to blame anybody else but themselves for what has happened!” she added.

“When a politician tries to blame words for an action, they need to look at their action and their record. Enough of this! This is horrific,” Ocasio-Cortez continued. “This is awful, and the assassination of Charlie Kirk risks an uncorking of political chaos and violence that we cannot risk in America.”

Authorities are searching for a person of interest in the incident and have released images of him.

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The second family will reportedly convey Charlie Kirk’s casket and family from Utah to Arizona.

Fox News reported that JD Vance’s family will fly Kirk’s casket from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Phoenix, Arizona, aboard Air Force Two. The flight will likely take place Thursday night, according to reports.

‘He exemplified a foundational virtue of our Republic: the willingness to speak openly and debate ideas.’

Vance expressed his heartfelt sorrow for the death of a close friend and confidant. He described Kirk’s encouragement for him to run for Senate in early 2021, saying Kirk was one of the first people he called.

“Someone else pointed out that Charlie died doing what he loved: discussing ideas. He would go into these hostile crowds and answer their questions. If it was a friendly crowd, and a progressive asked a question to jeers from the audience, he’d encourage his fans to calm down and let everyone speak,” Vance wrote on X. “He exemplified a foundational virtue of our Republic: the willingness to speak openly and debate ideas.”

RELATED: The right pays tribute to Charlie Kirk

Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Concluding his post, Vance wrote, “And now that Charlie is in heaven, I’ll ask him to talk to big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly. You ran a good race, my friend. We’ve got it from here.”

Turning Point USA is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Friends and family attended a prayer vigil Wednesday night following the atrocious assassination.

Kirk’s family and friends will be with the second family on the flight.

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“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1).

Why we should read this reminder: God is sovereign over suffering and, in His time, repurposes unspeakable evil for redemptive good. The question of evil appears to be eternal, but evil did, in fact, have a beginning. And just as evil had a beginning, it will have an ending. Evil is not eternal.

Evil may wound, but it cannot win. Pain may overwhelm, but it cannot overcome the resurrection hope we have in Jesus.

On Wednesday, my heart was shattered. Charlie Kirk and I had been texting late Sunday night, finalizing details for his surprise appearance at our Prestonwood Biblical Worldview Conference. Just hours later, our brother and friend was ushered immediately into the presence of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:8). His life was cut short in an act of unspeakable evil. He was brutally murdered and assassinated.

When we are struck by evil atrocity, our hearts cry out: Why, Lord? We feel the weight of grief pressing down, and worry and fear become destabilizing forces. But in these moments, we need a deeper anchor for our souls.

George Müller, the great 19th-century prayer warrior, once said: “My faith is the same faith which is found in every believer. It has been increased little by little for the last 26 years. Many times, when I would have gone insane from worry, I was at peace because my soul believed the truth of God’s promises.”

Müller’s words remind us of a vital truth: Peace is not found in explanations but in God’s promises.

Worry, even fear, is destabilizing so many of us right now. We need a steady anchor for our souls to stabilize our emotions and help us put one foot in front of the other today.

Oh, how we all need the reminder that our God weeps with us today. Through His Son — and now through His Spirit — God has entered our world of suffering. In the midst of heartbreak and loss, He offers His presence, His peace, His hope, His joy, and the promise of eternal life, even when life makes no sense.

Evil does not make sense, so there is no spiritual value in trying to understand or make evil make sense. Evil is a disruption in all the good God has created for us.

RELATED: Charlie Kirk: Loving father, fearless communicator, happy warrior — 1993-2025

Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

We also do not have the right words. That’s OK. Scripture reminds us, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

In light of this, I want to share four biblical anchors that can steady our souls as we grieve Charlie’s loss and face the problem of pain and evil.

1. God allows and is in control of all my challenges

When Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and cast into prison, he suffered unjustly for 13 long years (Genesis 39). Was he in God’s will? Yes. Was God still sovereign? Absolutely.

Only years later, standing before his brothers who had betrayed him, Joseph declared, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). What was meant to destroy Joseph, God used to save a nation and preserve the line of promise that would lead to the Messiah.

The same God is at work in our pain today. That situation in your life that feels unbearable, even senseless — He is still in control. He is not absent. He is bringing good out of evil in ways we cannot yet see.

Please join me in praying for Charlie’s precious wife, children, and family. We cling to the promise that “the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). And we take comfort in the truth that “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15).

2. When evil strikes, we live on promises — not explanations

Ultimately, there is little spiritual value or peace from explanations. Explanations rarely heal a broken heart. In fact, answers alone fall flat in the face of evil. But the promises of God never fail. As seekers of truth, we will find the assailants and pray they are brought to justice, but as a pastor, I know more peace will still be needed when “those questions” are answered.

To experience peace, we must learn to live by faith in the promises and character of God. No one lives by having faith in explanations. All of the faith heroes of the scriptures (many who greatly suffered) lived by faith in the promises of God. Faith is taking God at his word, not asking him for an explanation. That doesn’t mean we cannot ask God, “Why?” But in my experience, God wants us to trust him in the moment, rather than ask for an explanation.

When we suffer, we realize how insignificant our lives are apart from living them in the will of God.

Here’s the key when evil strikes: Living by faith means obeying God’s word in spite of feelings, circumstances, or consequences. It means holding on to God’s truth no matter how heavy the burden or how dark the day, knowing that He is working out His perfect plan.

It means living by promises and not by explanations.

We may never know why Charlie’s life was taken so horrifically. Evil does not make sense, nor should we expect it to. Our hope is not in explanations but in the unchanging goodness of God.

3. Suffering can confirm my faith

Suffering strips away our illusions of self-sufficiency and reminds us that apart from God, our lives are fragile and fleeting.

Think of Abraham, who was asked to sacrifice Isaac — the very son of promise (Genesis 22). That moment of unimaginable testing revealed the depth of his trust in God. And in the right time, God provided a ram.

In the same way, when trials overwhelm us, we are given the opportunity to see God as our true provider. Suffering, as painful as it is, refines our faith, anchors our hope, and draws us closer to the Lord who holds our days.

When we suffer, we realize how insignificant our lives are apart from living them in the will of God.

When we walk through suffering, we are reminded how small and fragile our lives are apart from the will of God. Trials strip away illusions and reveal that the true value of life is not found in the temporary, but in what is eternal.

4. Someday everything will become clear, and God’s ultimate purpose will be accomplished

Biblical heroes like Abraham, Joseph, and Job did not understand their trials while they were in the midst of them. Clarity only came later, when they could look back and see the hand of God at work in the crisis.

Even our Lord Jesus entered the depths of sorrow.

On the night before His crucifixion, He confessed to His disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). In agony He prayed, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39). Only hours later, He would endure such profound abandonment that He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

In our darkest moments, we discover this unshakable truth: Jesus understands, Jesus remains, and Jesus redeems.

This week, with the heartbreaking news of Charlie’s murder, we feel that same weight of sorrow and confusion. Like the great saints of old, we don’t yet have clarity on why such atrocities happen. But we cling to the same promises they did.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

And we hold fast to God’s unchanging word: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

Charlie loved Jesus and was unashamed of the gospel. Today, we grieve his loss, but not as those without hope. Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we know this is not the end. The God who provided for Abraham, who redeemed Joseph’s suffering, who restored Job, and who raised Jesus from the grave will one day wipe away every tear.

Until that day, we trust His heart, we rest in His presence, and we lean on His promises.

And God promises us still: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

In our darkest moments, we discover this unshakable truth: Jesus understands, Jesus remains, and Jesus redeems.

A final word

In this season of heartbreak, let us cling to Christ, our unshakable anchor. Evil may wound, but it cannot win. Pain may overwhelm, but it cannot overcome the resurrection hope we have in Jesus.

Until that day when faith becomes sight, we will trust His heart, rest in His presence, and hold tightly to His promises.

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A day after the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk, the organization he founded released a poignant statement predicting that his legacy would continue to influence millions beyond his untimely death.

Kirk was shot and killed while debating Wednesday at one of his celebrated campus events at Utah Valley University. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the massive manhunt for the shooter.

‘Charlie loved America, its people, its Constitution, its freedom, and the limitless good all of them have done for the world. But above all, Charlie lived every day with an overflowing love of the Christ he knew he would one day get to see.’

On Thursday, Turning Point USA published a touching statement on Facebook celebrating the life of their founder.

“Every one of us at Turning Point USA is crushed and devastated by the hateful murder of our founder and guiding light, Charlie Kirk. All of us have lost a leader, a mentor, and a friend. Above all, our hearts are with Erika and their two children,” the statement read.

The organization asked for prayers for Kirk’s family and called Kirk a martyr for free speech.

“More than anyone, Charlie believed in the power of argument and good-faith debate to find the truth and guide people towards, if not agreement, then at least mutual understanding. Charlie was no stranger to threats. He received thousands throughout his life. But he always prioritized reaching as many young Americans as possible over his own personal safety. Now, Charlie has become America’s greatest martyr to the freedom of speech he so adored,” they continued.

“In his thirty-one years, Charlie lived more than any of us will in a hundred. He had an overwhelming passion for life and a deep belief in his power as an individual to make a difference,” the statement read. “With the spirit of a pioneer, Charlie launched Turning Point out of his parents’ garage as an 18-year-old with no money, no name recognition, only a dream. His energy and drive were awe-inspiring, without equal and deeply infectious. Charlie refused to squander a single day of his life. He was a natural builder and problem solver, who loved a challenge and saw every setback as a chance to learn, grow, pray, and try again. He was fundamentally decent, always eager to make new friends and allies and to support and defend the ones he had already made. His values were timeless American ones: Honesty, forthrightness, duty, loyalty, and fair play.”

The statement then focused on his Christian faith.

“Charlie loved America, its people, its Constitution, its freedom, and the limitless good all of them have done for the world. But above all, Charlie lived every day with an overflowing love of the Christ he knew he would one day get to see,” the organization continued. “When asked, Charlie said that above all he wished to be remembered for his faith. Far more than any political victory, Charlie wanted to see a spiritual revival among America’s youth. He wanted a nation of happy, thriving families who loved God and each other. At his final public speech, just days before his murder, Charlie witnessed to Christ to an audience of nonbelievers. Even in his very last moments, Charlie was professing the Gospel. He ran his race well all the way to the end.”

“Now, he goes to his heavenly reward.”

RELATED: ‘It’s the death of free speech!’ Jay Leno expresses his shock at killing of Charlie Kirk

“Although Charlie is gone, his legacy will endure,” the statement concluded. “He shall not grow old; age shall not weary him. For all time, he will remain the brave young man who inspired tens of millions of Americans to better themselves and take action to better America. All of us will miss Charlie. None of us will ever forget him.”

Authorities released images of a person of interest being sought in the investigation. No one has been arrested yet.

President Donald Trump has announced that he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Kirk was 31 years old.

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Yesterday, America suffered a devastating loss when beloved conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was fatally struck with a bullet in the neck while speaking at an event during his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Kirk’s horrific death has sent shockwaves through conservative America, who just lost one of its bravest and most impactful warriors.

“He dared do what the left apparently thinks you should die for, which is have a respectful dialogue,” says Sara Gonzales, BlazeTV host of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered,” fighting back tears.

Charlie’s method was honorable: “Change hearts and minds not by force … not with hate but just with a dialogue,” she says.

Sara finds the timing of Charlie’s murder uncanny — “Charlie was just in the news” a couple days ago when CNN’s Van Jones excoriated him for his comments about the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska.

On an episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” Kirk said, “A white Ukrainian refugee was murdered just because she was white; everybody knows that, obviously.”

Van Jones, ignoring the fact that the suspect for Zarutska’s murder was captured on camera saying, “I got that white girl,” ignorantly responded, “For Charlie Kirk to say, ‘We know he did it because she’s white’ when there’s no evidence of that is just pure race mongering, hate mongering. It’s wrong.”

“Charlie Kirk, he should be ashamed of himself. No one mentioned the word race, white, black, or anything except him,” Jones lied.

“And you wonder why people are being radicalized,” says Sara.

“If you’re listening to CNN, you’re thinking that Charlie Kirk is the actual bad guy, not the guy who said [‘I got that white girl’].”

And that, she says, is precisely why he was murdered yesterday.

“Was this only a matter of time? They tried to kill our president. That didn’t work. They’re just going to start what — going after all of us now?” she asks.

BlazeTV contributor Matthew Marsden adds, “We’ve said on this show many, many times that if you call someone a white supremacist, if you call them a Nazi, if you call them a fascist, then what you’re doing is you’re justifying any violence that is being committed against them because those things are evil.”

For the liberals who are now making statements on social media bemoaning Kirk’s death and condemning political violence, he has a powerful message: “You’re all guilty of this.”

To hear more of Sara and Marsden’s reaction to yesterday’s horrific news, watch the episode above.

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Reactions flooded in long into Wednesday night, following the public assassination of Charlie Kirk. Some were angry; others wept; some were numb; others, cautious; and still others openly celebrated. Few, however, grasped the scale of the personal intensity Americans felt.

We live in an age of instant information and cheap virality, and we have to struggle with the contradictory feelings of social isolation and personal connectivity the handheld-screen age brings. This is that age’s first truly awful monocultural moment. It’s going to take time to truly know what this cruel murder means for these United States, but you can be sure it’s much bigger than we think.

A lot of people who didn’t know Charlie felt like they did. And they see a mentor or a friend, a younger or older brother, a son, a father, a husband.

We’ve experienced awful viral moments before. Just earlier this week, we were gripped by video of a beautiful Ukrainian woman stabbed to death on public transit. Only last year, the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump and the murder of a father and husband in front of his family echoed from country music to hip-hop and from Capitol Hill politics to boardwalk T-shirts.

Although we heard of Corey Comperatore’s sacrifice and prayed for him and his family, most of us didn’t know him. The footage from that July afternoon showed a president unbowed and unbroken, triumphant and defiant, pumping his fist above his head and rallying his supporters. We were shocked at how close we had come to a world-changing event — how a breeze, a projector screen, and the Holy Spirit had saved this country from open violence.

This time is different. There’s no embattled but victorious defiance. There’s a quiet, sinking feeling. It was hard to go to sleep last night knowing that Charlie’s widow put her toddler and baby to bed in a world where Daddy isn’t coming home. In the morning, nothing had changed that. Capitol Hill was quiet, and St. Peter’s lonely bells marked the moment the Pentagon had been hit. They could have tolled for a country once more on the brink, 24 years on.

There’s another difference between Utah and Butler. It’s a sad thing to admit, but the American people know presidential assassinations. We know assassinations of politicians, too. If you lived a full life in these United States, born any time in the past 200 years, you’ve seen a president shot or even killed. We don’t like it, but we understand that our presidents have stepped into the arena. Even awful attacks on representatives, senators, governors, and mayors seem to somehow fit into our violent American experience.

Charlie doesn’t fit. He was young — far too young. He held conventions and he had a podcast, and he went to college campuses to set up a tent to debate other viewpoints and see if he could convince or be convinced himself. He didn’t insult people or try to make them look stupid for clicks and laughs. If he was “controversial” and “divisive,” it was because some people disagreed with his beliefs — beliefs shared by millions of normal Americans.

We knew he could change his mind in a debate, because we saw it happen after he debated Tucker Carlson on the government’s role in its citizens’ lives. When I first met him, he was probably 25 and not yet married. I was shocked by his kind humility and his hunger to learn from people around him. He wasn’t brash or conceited in the way most people are when they achieve the success he had by that age. And he was very hardworking.

I didn’t see a dry eye on BlazeTV or Fox News Wednesday night, because all of us had the opportunity to meet this man, either as a friend or just a friendly acquaintance, or a student, or a guest, or a host. We all knew him, but the very personal feelings of loss extended far outside those of us who shared an industry with him.

Charlie’s qualities were on display to the millions of Americans who tuned in to his show, or who came out to his events on campus, or who were first introduced to these ideas by his work. Remember: Before the shot rang out, you’d probably have had to be a Utah reporter or Utah Valley University student or local to know Charlie was even there, and yet thousands of young people had turned out to see him.

When are some other times you saw thousands of young people turn out for a speaker? Especially one who isn’t a politician. It’s not very common, and for a peaceful while, it wasn’t even news — just another leg on the tour. How many times had Charlie done this: shaken hands, taken pictures, or just responded to tweets and comments from young fans? Far beyond the people who were his friends or who knew him are the millions who felt like they knew him.

Sure, our technological age can isolate us, but it can also bring people we’ve never met into our lives. It can create the feeling of knowing someone, especially when you tune in every week — or every day. A lot of people who didn’t know Charlie felt like they did. And they see a mentor or a friend, a younger or older brother, a son, a father, a husband.

And what was he doing when he was gunned down? He wasn’t egging on a crowd, jeering at protesters, sneering that elections have consequences, or blaring into a megaphone. He was seated under a tent on a sunny day with an open mic, engaged in open dialogue on an American college campus. There’s no good reason on God’s green earth he should not have been allowed to call his wife that evening or see his young children again.

This isn’t taxes or health care or energy policy. This isn’t even the shooting of a famous politician or the murder of a beautiful stranger, as horrible and jarring as those things are. This hits deeper.

When people celebrated his assassination, they weren’t talking about someone who wielded power — they were talking about someone who believed a lot of things we believe, who had a young, happy family, and who was engaged in fair discourse on a peaceful campus.

On her show last night, host Emily Jashinsky wondered if the name he chose for his organization those 13 years ago was prophetic. I can’t say. I know he knew what we were up against, though. I know he’ll be remembered for a long time, and I know his absence will be felt terribly by his wife and his children, his friends and his colleagues, and by millions beyond them. And I do know this is a moment that will be remembered for many, many years.

Our chances aren’t great. It doesn’t have to get worse. That’s not yet written. But that means things are going to have to get a lot better — and fast. This is it. This is our turning point. Which way, America?

“After Party with Emily Jashinsky”: Honoring the legacy of Charlie Kirk, with Chris and Sarah Bedford

Blaze News: Charlie Kirk: Loving father, fearless communicator, happy warrior — 1993-2025

The Spectator: Charlie Kirk saw himself as holding back a revolution

Blaze News: Greg Gutfeld fires off emotional message after assassination of Charlie Kirk

Blaze News: New York Times continues SPLC demonization of Charlie Kirk, accuses him of provocation

Blaze News: MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd fired over Charlie Kirk comments

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​Opinion & analysis, Politics, Charlie kirk 

Jay Leno expressed his shock and bewilderment about the assassination of Charlie Kirk in a call to a local Los Angeles radio talk show Wednesday evening.

Leno expressed his outrage to Tim Conway Jr. on his KFI AM show about the death of Kirk and opined that it was a political assassination meant to squelch free speech.

‘A lot of times, you watch somebody like Charlie Kirk, it might enforce your beliefs more or it might change your mind. But at least it gets you thinking.’

“It’s not a random shooting. It’s the death of free speech!” said Leno, after saying he had listened to Kirk before the attack. “To think that you are so illiterate and so stupid you can’t answer verbally, and you have to shoot somebody with a gun to ‘win the argument.'”

He contrasted the current political climate with that of many decades ago when political opponents would debate often in public.

“You know, when I was in school, lively debate was unbelievable — to have the SDS, the Students for Democratic Society, debate somebody else, I can remember when James Baldwin debated William F. Buckley at Oxford University. It was just fascinating,” Leno added. “Here are two guys, both way smarter than I am, and I understood both their points of view. It was just fascinating.”

He went on to compare the killing to the shooting of student protesters at Kent State in 1970.

“This is a political assassination of a man I didn’t necessarily agree with but I certainly enjoyed listening to,” Leno continued.

“A lot of times you watch somebody like Charlie Kirk, it might enforce your beliefs more or it might change your mind. But at least it gets you thinking,” he added. “At least you’re thinking about what’s going on.”

RELATED: ‘You woke us the f**k up!’ Greg Gutfeld fires off message on Fox News after assassination of Charlie Kirk

Leno seemed to be exasperated by the horrible incident and had trouble expressing his feelings at times.

“It’s really the death of free speech,” he concluded.

As of Thursday afternoon, no suspect in the shooting has been apprehended, but authorities have released two images of a person of interest whom they are seeking.

President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half mast in honor of Kirk and has announced he will award him a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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