Charlie Kirk supporters vow to continue what he started during emotional Utah Valley University ceremony one year after his murder
OREM, Utah — Thousands of Charlie Kirk supporters packed an arena at Utah Valley University on Thursday night to honor the conservative activist one year after he was assassinated on the campus.Students and friends of the Turning Point USA co-founder, who was just 31 years old when he was gunned down during one of his popular open mic events, vowed to “continue what he started” in a touching ceremony.“Today, one year later, at Utah Valley University.We remember Charlie Kirk.
We mourn Charlie Kirk, and we honor Charlie Kirk,” Sage Lloyd, the President of UVU’s TPUSA chapter, told the massive crowd.“Perhaps the greatest way to honor him is not simply to remember what he did, but continue what he started,” Lloyd said.Lloyd recalled that TPUSA members at the public university — where Kirk was shot in the neck while calmly debating college students in a chilling, caught-on-video slaying on Sept.10, 2025 — have been motivated to continue his legacy despite their immense grief.“Our chapter has grieved, we have struggled, and we have carried things that few people outside of our own experience will ever completely understand, but through all of the hardship, we are still here.”“The same students who witnessed a political assassination are willing to stand up, speak out, and keep moving forward all because of the impact one man, Charlie Kirk, had on their lives.”The massive event, which kicked off at 8:30 EST, also featured speeches by radio host Glenn Beck, Christian author Frank Turek, and Turning Point USA’s Chief Field Officer Andrew Syphe,The memorial drew backlash from UVU’s Students for a Democratic Society club, which planned to protest the event — which shut down campus and canceled classes on Thursday, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.“We, students of UVU, strongly condemn the decision to hand over our campus to TPUSA on September 10.
As we approach the anniversary of this tragic event, it should be made clear that many of us...