Conservative activist Charlie Kirk mourned as a ‘martyr for truth’ after assassination

Charlie Kirk never finished college, yet he spent much of his life on university campuses, spreading conservative ideas where they were least welcome, on his way to building a youth movement that helped elect a president last year.

He died by an assassin’s bullet at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, the first day of his annual fall campus tour. The event allowed him to do what he did best: debate ideas, challenge left-wing orthodoxies, share his faith and maybe change a few minds.

“Charlie was a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loved so much,” President Trump said in a video announcing Mr. Kirk’s death. “He fought for liberty, democracy, justice, and the American people. He’s a martyr for truth and freedom.”

Dream City Church in Phoenix mourned the death of “our dear friend and partner in ministry.” It credited Mr. Kirk with helping found Freedom Night in America, a weekly rally featuring speakers on faith and freedom.

“Through his leadership at Turning Point USA and Turning Point Faith, Charlie inspired millions to stand firm in their biblical convictions and live out their faith with courage,” said a statement by the church, which is affiliated with the Assemblies of God USA.

Many were startled to learn that Mr. Kirk was just 31 when he died, given how long he had been in the public eye, how much he had accomplished and how instrumental he had become to the conservative movement.

Born in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout and volunteered for a Republican Senate campaign while in high school. After graduation, he briefly attended nearby Harper College before dropping out and jumping full time into conservative advocacy.

He co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 when he was 18. That same year, he made his first appearance on Fox News Channel, where he would soon become a regular contributor.

Mr. Kirk once said his opponents would never outwork him, and it showed.

He gave speeches at universities, churches and conservative gatherings. In 2020, he began hosting “The Charlie Kirk Show,” a daily three-hour podcast and radio program. He amassed millions of followers on social media, including 5.6 million on X, and turned up regularly on conservative news outlets.

Meanwhile, Turning Point USA grew to an estimated 800 college groups and 1,000 high school clubs claiming more than 250,000 members. The organization added Turning Point Academy, an education initiative, in 2006 and Turning Point Faith in 2021.

Last year, Turning Point Action helped lead the voter turnout drive for the Trump presidential campaign, focusing on bringing younger and disaffected voters to the polls, especially in the pivotal battleground states.

The results spoke for themselves. Mr. Trump won all seven swing states and 47% of voters ages 18-29. In 2012, Republican nominee Mitt Romney took just 37% of the youth vote.

“His mission was to bring young people into the political process, which he did better than anybody ever,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Kirk’s influence spread beyond politics. In August, the satirical animated show “South Park” aired an episode featuring the Cartman character with Mr. Kirk’s distinctive hairline debating students in the Turning Point USA-style “Prove Me Wrong” format.

Mr. Kirk was thrilled, headlining his podcast episode, “I’m Going to Be on South Park!”

“They’re going to probably roast me, but it’s about time that we don’t take ourselves so seriously,” he said, adding that “being mocked means that you’re doing something.”

Comedy Central, which airs “South Park,” reportedly pulled an upcoming rerun of the episode after Mr. Kirk’s death.

Mr. Kirk was unapologetically conservative and Christian, but his friends emphasized that he was also known for being cordial in his debates, not a name-caller or bomb-thrower.

“Charlie was never a threat to anyone. He was civil, he was kind, he listened and responded with respect,” close friend Donald Trump Jr. said on X. “The only ‘threat’ he ever posed was that he was incredibly effective. He was a powerful messenger of truth, and people heard that truth. That’s what made him a target.”