Charlie Kirk’s Tragic Death and his Profound Legacy On The Conservative Movement

Charlie Kirk Speaking At A Turning Point Event(Getty Images)

By Nicholas A-S ‘28

On September 10th, 2025 Charlie Kirk was brutally shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, the first planned stop of his “American Comeback Tour.”

The sniper’s bullet fatally struck Kirk in the neck, and his security team rapidly attempted to transport him to the nearest hospital facility. Although he was successfully transported to the hospital, his death was later announced by U.S President Donald Trump on Truth Social.

Kirk’s death brought immense political shock waves, with emotions of grief and outrage being shared among many Americans. Furthermore, a renewed debate has occurred regarding political violence in America, especially in an era of political division.

Immediately after Kirk’s Assassination, legislators passed resolutions condemning his murder, while honoring his life and public service. Congress also passed a resolution to designate October 14th, Kirk’s birthday, as a National Day of Remembrance.

Many Conservative leaders have cast Kirk’s death as martyrdom, believing it will energize younger generations to continue and build upon his legacy. Although calls have been made for statues and monuments to honor Kirk, others have emphasized the importance of a long-term historical assessment instead of immediately creating iconography. 

In South Korea, the nation’s conservative community has used Kirk’s passing to further strengthen and enhance the spread and discussion of right-wing movements, especially among the nation’s youth. This commitment to the youth directly aligns with Kirk’s focus on young people, as a large portion of his events were held on college campuses throughout the US.

Kirk was a strong believer in passionate discussion and debate, as he had at times thousands of attendees at his events while also using many social media platforms to post the debate he engaged in. This very motivation for debate and dialogue resulted in his creation of Turning Point USA in 2012, and the organization has since grown greatly in size over the past 13 years.

Kirk’s work received mixed responses from America, with some appreciating his message of productive debate while others viewing it as overly aggressive and forceful. Regardless of where Americans may feel about Kirk's legacy, it is undoubtedly clear that Kirk’s death was incredibly tragic and a reminder of the immense political division our nation continues to face.