KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The death of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk has prompted reactions across the nation, with political leaders and activists calling for a return to civil discourse in American politics.
House Speaker Mike Johnson addressed the incident to members of the media on Wednesday, emphasizing the troubling trend of political violence in the country.
"Political violence has become all too common in American society, and this is not who we are," Johnson said.
The impact of Kirk's death has resonated particularly with young conservatives who looked up to him as a mentor and role model.
Nathan Hale, a Kansas City student activist and member of a local Turning Point USA chapter, shared his memories of meeting Kirk during a campus tour stop at the University of Kansas last year.
"The biggest thing I learned from Charlie is that when people stop talking to each other, bad things happen," Hale said. "He’s always worked to hear the other side of the argument, understand where other people are coming from, and try to find agreement, in a time where we’re extremely politically polarized."
Hale, who also broadcasts his own political current events show online, worked at the event at the University of Kansas. He met Kirk at KU and even had his book signed.
Despite Kirk's busy schedule, Hale said the activist took time to connect with young people and help build stronger Republican organizations on college campuses.
"I remember him for the kind man he was and how great a figure he was," he said.
The concerns about political violence extend beyond college campuses.
Former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, who is currently running as a Republican gubernatorial candidate, told KSHB 41 he recently received a death threat that he reported to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
The threat, posted on Facebook, read, "I hope you and all your dependents drop dead. Painfully."
Still, Colyer emphasized the importance of maintaining civility in political discourse.
"We can disagree and even disagree fiercely. But at the end of the day, we're all Kansans, we're all Americans," Colyer said. "There is room for us to have discussions and trade ideas, and at the end of the day, we could argue fiercely on things. At the end of the day, we’re going to walk away, pat each other on the back, and go have a drink."
Charlie Kirk, 31, founded the youth activist group "Turning Point USA" in 2012, with the goal of targeting younger voters. He visited liberal-leaning college campuses where Republican activists typically did not venture and was known for being a strong supporter of President Trump.
On Wednesday, Turning Point USA held a debate event at Utah Valley University, where a shooter ultimately shot and killed Kirk while speaking.
"I think it will have a profound effect on Americans across the country, and particularly young people," Colyer added.
Hale also said something similar. Kirk created his organization that drew in a new generation of conservative followers.
He went on to add that the organization works to stay non-partisan.
"Charlie Kirk built a new RNC, the Republican National Committee is somewhat of a failing organization in my opinion," Hale explained. "He built his own RNC... that brings together people who actually want to do grassroots organization, who actually want to make a change in our country, who actually want to push American ideals. I think so many people have lost what it truly means to be an American; he really helped push and promote those values."
The reactions to Kirk's death highlight ongoing concerns about the state of political discourse in America and the need for greater empathy and understanding across ideological divides.
"We have gotten to a point in our country where we feel comfortable not talking to each other anymore, and bad things happen because of it," Hale said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
—
