Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Is a Turning Point for the USA | The American Spectator

I write this article because the gunman intended to silence us — to terrorize free speech. But he failed. Because today, we speak louder. The assassination of Charlie Kirk was not just an attack on a man; it was an assault on the very right to speak freely, especially for conservatives in America.

On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The founder and president of Turning Point USA was addressing a crowd of college students during a campus stop on his “American Comeback Tour.” It was a typical Kirk event: packed, passionate, and focused on the values of freedom, faith, and limited government.

Then, without warning, a single shot cracked through the air. Caught on multiple phone cameras, the horrific moment is seared into the minds of everyone who watched it. Kirk was struck in the throat. Blood poured out as he collapsed. Students screamed and fled.

Authorities believe the shooter fired from a rooftop nearly 200 yards away. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox confirmed that a “person of interest” was taken into custody for the political assassination, noting that the death penalty is still legal in his state. FBI director Kash Patel said a suspected shooter is in custody, then later announced that this person has been released — the assassin is still at large as of early Thursday morning. While an “official” motive has yet to be revealed as the search and investigation ensue, to many of us, the message was already clear: sit down, shut up, and don’t speak your mind.

This wasn’t just an act of violence. It was intimidation to silence us. It was meant to punish Charlie for using his voice.

Kirk’s voice mattered, especially to the young people. Gen Z listened to him not because he told them what to think, but because he invited them to think at all. He was persuasive. He made young Americans, regardless of their beliefs, feel as though their voices mattered. He invited those who disagreed with him to the front of the line, unafraid of confrontation, conducted with grace, intelligence, and empathy.

He humanized his supporters — and just as importantly, he humanized his critics. He made it hard to hate him once you talked to him face-to-face because he never hated you. And for that, he earned love and loyalty from millions.

“I’m just flesh and bone, but more importantly, I’m a soul, and that soul is accountable to one being.”

“I’ve had an unbelievably blessed life… So praise God. I’ve been all across the world. I’ve met with world leaders.”

“I’ve flown Air Force One, got to know a president. I… pic.twitter.com/sYu8fbzvll

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 10, 2025

Born in 1993, Kirk launched Turning Point USA in 2012 — just as a teenager with an idea and a mission. He built a national movement to engage students in conservative values, resisting the dominant liberal narratives on campus. His first Fox News appearance was 13 years ago, and since then, he has become one of the most recognizable conservative voices in America.

He was a man of faith. A husband. A father. A mentor of thousands of young Americans. And now, he’s gone.

President Donald Trump issued a heartfelt tribute, calling Kirk “Great, and even Legendary.” Megyn Kelly, visibly shaken, broke into tears during her livestream. Laura Ingraham said she and Bret Baier were crying in their dressing rooms before going on air. Across the political spectrum, there was mourning — but also rage, confusion, and a lingering fear: Is this where we are now?

Tragically, it echoes another recent killing. On August 22, Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old conservative activist, was murdered in Charlotte, slashed in the neck in a senseless, unprovoked attack. Bystanders filmed but didn’t intervene. She bled to death as people watched.

What does it say about us that cameras capture murders, but people stand still? What does it say when political disagreement now ends in gunfire?

It says something is broken. And this — Charlie Kirk’s assassination — is a turning point. Not just for conservatives. Not just for young people. For the entire country.

Charlie Kirk believed in a bold, unapologetic America. One where you could speak freely, even if it made others uncomfortable. He lived that ideal until the very end.

His assassination was meant to scare us into silence. It will do the opposite.

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Julianna Frieman is a writer based in North Carolina. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is pursuing her master’s degree in Communications (Digital Strategy) at the University of Florida. Her work has been published by the Daily Caller, The American Spectator, and The Federalist. Follow her on X at @juliannafrieman.