Members of the Kansas congressional delegation responded to the targeted killing of political activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday.
Kirk, a 31-year-old CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was gunned down while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Kirk was shot at 12:10 p.m. local time, 10 minutes after the student-sponsored event started. A shot is believed to have been fired from the roof of a building about 150 yards away from Kirk, according to NPR. A suspect is still at large.
In a speech on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump memorialized Kirk.
“I ask all Americans to commit themselves to the American values for which Charlie Kirk lived & died. The values of free speech, citizenship, the rule of law & the patriotic devotion & love of God,” he said.
Several elected officials representing Johnson County residents, including in the Kansas Statehouse and Congress, issued statements in the hours after Kirk’s death. Here’s what they are saying:
Johnson County Republican Party
“Please pray for Charlie Kirk. He was shot today at an event in Utah,” they wrote on Facebook, prior to the announcement of his death.
Johnson County Democratic Party
“We are deeply saddened by the senseless political violence that ended the life of Charlie Kirk. While we disagree with the policies that he advocated, he had a first amendment right to do so without any threat to his life and liberty. Our country must come together and stop this tragic cycle of violence,” they wrote on Facebook.
Kansas Democratic Party
The Kansas Democratic Party shared a Facebook post from DNC Chair Ken Martin: “I’m horrified by the news coming out of Utah about the attack on Charlie Kirk. Political violence has no place in our country. Not now, and not ever. Praying for him and his family.”
Kansas Republican Party
“He was assassinated for having conversations with people who disagreed with him. He was assassinated for exercising his God-given right to free speech. He was assassinated for believing in America and in preserving our nation. He was assassinated for being a conservative. God, we pray for his family, for his young children, for justice, and for the violence to end. Amen,” they wrote on Facebook.
Gov. Laura Kelly
“Violence should never be used to resolve political differences. We, as leaders, need to step out of our partisan pathways and model a return to sanity and civility. We owe it to Charlie Kirk and to all Americans,” she posted on social media.
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran
“Charlie Kirk was a father, husband, son and a voice for young conservatives. He was a man of faith who deeply loved his country. His murder is an appalling act of violence, and I am heartbroken for his wife, children and loved ones. Please pray for the Kirk family and our nation,” he posted on X.
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall
“We are heartbroken by the news of this tragic loss. Charlie was an incredible man whose faith guided him. He led a movement of young conservatives in our country, and his legacy will live on. Laina and I are devastated and our hearts and prayers are with his wife, Erika, and their two children. May he rest in peace,” he posted on Facebook.
Sec. Scott Schwab
“I am asking for all Kansans to pray for Charlie Kirk, his wife and young child,” he wrote on X prior to the announcement of Kirk’s death.
Attorney General Kris Kobach
“Heather and I urge all Americans to pray for Charlie Kirk’s family and our country,” the Kansas Attorney General wrote on X.
State Sen. Ethan Corson
“Charlie Kirk’s death is a tragedy. Political violence is never acceptable. Jenna and I are praying for his family at this time. We need to turn down the rhetoric and remember that the people we disagree with are not our enemies — they’re fellow Americans. Every leader has a responsibility to set that tone,” he wrote on X.
State Sen. Cindy Holscher
“We must join together to condemn the shooting of Charlie Kirk in the strongest possible terms. Make no mistake, this is a horrific event. No matter what viewpoints one may hold, political violence has no place in our society,” she wrote on X.
State Sen. Beverly Gossage
“Thank you for answering God’s call on your life, Charlie Kirk. Praying for your wife and children. My heart also aches for your mother and dad whom no one has mentioned. I can’t even imagine their grief,” she wrote on Facebook.
State Sen. Mike Thompson
“At a time when it is easy to be angered and disillusioned by the divisiveness and lack of civility we see in this country, he was a beacon of hope for the future of America.
State Sen. Dinah Sykes (Minority leader)
“Today, on September 11th, we honor the lives lost in a tragedy that reshaped our nation 24 years ago. We remember the courage, the heartbreak, and the unity that followed. In Kansas, we carry that spirit forward, believing that even in our differences, we are stronger together.
State Sen. TJ Rose
“To honor the legacy of Charlie Kirk, I plan to begin exercising my right to free speech more frequently. And to begin, it is clearly time for a national conversation on the value of every human life. What makes the murder of any human being wrong? What is the difference between murdering a human being and hunting wildlife?
As a Christian, I believe every human being has infinite worth because we are all made in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 says ‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.’
I believe murder is wrong because it is the destruction of the image of God. Accepting this doctrine leads to great peace; rejecting it results in horrific forms of evil. In order for Americans to live in peace and freedom, there must be consensus that every human life is of infinite worth, which only comes from the image of God,” he wrote on Facebook.
State. Sen. Douglas Shane
“Charlie Kirk had incredible intuition into human nature and loved his country. I am grateful for everything Charlie Kirk did for our country. We are living in an era of incredible evil. Please pray with me for Charlie’s soul, his family, and for our country. Rest in peace,” he wrote on Facebook.
State Rep. Carrie Barth
“We lost an incredible one-of-a-kind human being today. Even through death, keep shining the light on truth. Miss you already Charlie,” she wrote on Facebook.
State Rep. Chris Croft
“Heartbroken to hear of the loss of Charlie Kirk. This act of violence is devastating and serves as a stark reminder that we must never allow hatred to divide us. My prayers are with Charlie’s loved ones and all impacted by this tragedy,” he wrote on Facebook.
Rep. Linda Featherston
Featherston shared a Facebook post by Moms Demand Action: “Gun violence doesn’t care about ideology. No one is truly safe on our campuses, in our elementary or high schools— anywhere—in a country awash in easily accessible guns. And no one will be safe until our lawmakers put public safety over politics and take action to end this preventable crisis.”
Rep. Rui Xu
“Our country is deeply ill. With today’s assassination of Charlie Kirk following the assassination earlier this summer of Melissa Hortman, following several attempts on President Trump’s life, political violence is on the rise.
Rep. Nikki McDonald
“As a society we MUST push back against those forces who dehumanize and villianize those who have differing beliefs.
