Days after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University, a group of University of Maryland students gathered to support each other and mourn his death.
They handed out fake candles and lined the rows of the Garden Chapel. Harshit Garg, who was president of the campus鈥� Turning Point USA chapter from 2021 to 2024, said the vigil was planned to provide a sense of closure.
鈥淭his vigil is much less for political performance,鈥� Garg said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 to honor the life that Charlie Kirk had lived, the debates that he had on campus, the openness that he had to ensuring no matter who you are, no matter where you come from or how you got to college, that you had a voice at the table.鈥�
The vigil was planned by the university鈥檚 Turning Point USA chapter and College Republicans. It was shared on social media with the goal of 鈥渏ust hoping to get that conversation going,鈥� Garg said.
The event came the same day officials announced 22-year-old Tyler Robinson had been arrested and charged in connection with Kirk鈥檚 death. Officials said Robinson told a family member he was responsible for the shooting.
Alex Grutzkuhn said while he didn鈥檛 admire Kirk鈥檚 work, he showed up to “give respect to the dead, give respect to his family and give respect to supporters all across America.鈥�
A woman who asked not to be named publicly because of work restrictions said Kirk inspired her and 鈥渁 lot of my generation.鈥� She said she found out about the incident during a class.
鈥淚f we can just shoot people we don鈥檛 like, then there鈥檚 no freedom in this country,鈥� she said.
Kirk鈥檚 death was shocking for Ben Zullo, who didn鈥檛 think 鈥渁nything like that would really happen beyond important political figures, maybe presidential candidates, that seemed a little bit more normal than this.鈥�
“I would hope 鈥� there would be a unifying issue of, we can鈥檛 stand for political violence. Something about our discourse needs to change so that violent actions like this don鈥檛 take place,鈥� he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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