‘Violence is never the answer,’ UCCS vigil draws crowd to remember Charlie Kirk
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - On Tuesday, Sept. 16, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Turning Point Chapter held a vigil for Charlie Kirk as a night of prayer and remembrance.
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and political speaker, was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. The murder has sparked deeper conversations about violence in American politics.
The event, which began at 8 p.m., was open to the public and packed with people standing shoulder to shoulder, praying for Kirk and his family.
"I found someone who represented me, who heard me, who I truly felt understood what I was feeling," said Stefan Hoffman, president of UCCS Turning Point, while speaking to the crowd that gathered.
Supporters holding candles and American flags said they were there to pay their respects to Kirk.
"I think this is a national tragedy. What happened to Charlie Kirk didn't just represent himself. He represented a lot of how we feel in the country," said Paul Anderson, an attendant of the vigil.
Many at the event said they never personally met Kirk but spoke of the profound impact he had on their lives.
"He gave me that courage. He gave me that voice. And then again, just all the people that I met because of Turning Point, I would not have met otherwise. They are some of my best friends. They were at my wedding," says Milly Mollica, former president of UCCS Turning Point.
At the vigil, many individuals called for an end to political violence.
"I want Charlie's lesson to live on. That just because someone feels differently than you does not mean they're your enemy," says Celia Mullins, attendant of the vigil.
Another participant of the vigil told KRDO13, "I would like to see, obviously, first and foremost... no inciting of violence in any way or form. I think political violence at its core is absolutely evil," says Zach Kwitek, former president of UCCS Turning Point.
Students at UCCS, ahead of the vigil, told KRDO13 that violence is never the answer, even if their beliefs didn't align with Kirk's.
"I know it's a person that a lot of people looked up to, and. Well, I didn't personally look up to him. I can understand that a lot of people will be heartbroken," says Cole Felton, a junior at UCCS.
Another student expressed his views on the death of Kirk.
"We need to lean on each other. We have to come together and say, you know what? No matter how much we disagree with each other on anything. Violence is never the answer," says Joshua Pappas, a junior at UCCS.
Those at the event wrote letters to Kirk's wife, Erika, and their children, offering words of support after the loss of their husband and father.
Campus police attended the event in case of unrest; however, the vigil remained peaceful with no signs of counter-protesters in attendance.
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