Turning Point Executive Director, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University.
Kirk was sitting in a chair at a packed student event when the shot rang out. Kirk was hit in the neck and fell to the floor.
State and national leaders, including William Floyd High School graduate and current EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, reacted to the horrific news.
“RIP Charlie Kirk. Love you my friend. There are so many emotions and so many memories. Charlie’s patriotism was unwavering, energy was limitless, and impact was immeasurable,” said Zeldin
New York State Conservative Party Chairman said, “The Charlie Kirk shooting is extraordinarily disturbing to me. I can't say I know him, but I have spoken to him. Charlie Kirk was an amazing individual who has done a great deal of good in communicating conservative thought and philosophy to audiences of all ages. He provides a platform for young people to express their views in honest, forthright exchanges. This event in Utah was just one of many opportunities for him and the students to express their feelings towards the conservative movement”.
“This does not speak well at all about the tenor of this nation,” said Kassar. "The loss of Charlie is a tragic event. It's a young family - they are in our prayers. A good man died today."
“It's a tragedy. It's a horrible tragedy and a loss to the nation. It's a loss to reasonable debate. It's basically a loss to the nation no matter what side of the political fence you are on. I would say that he was irreplaceable. I hope that we see another Charlie Kirk come along very soon, but I suspect we will not. Unfortunately, this could be one of those situations where this assassination causes the dialogue Charlie created for Turning Point to stop moving forward, to freeze it, and that would be such a terrible setback,’ said Kassar.
“It's a developing situation that's going to have consequences well, well beyond the terrible events of today. I hope and pray that some good for the future will come out of the actions of today but at the moment I only see I only see us continuing to move in the wrong direction. I'm bouncing in the direction of believing that that this this was a terrible tragedy that will negatively impact the United States and the world consequentially.”
The New York State Republican Party said on @X, “May God rest his soul and give comfort to his grieving wife and two young children/ And, God save our country from this madness.”
Kassar concluded, “I hope they capture him alive and I hope he allows himself to be captured alive, because there are going be a lot of questions that need to be answered here.”
Turning Point is a well-known conservative organization that focuses on events for young people, regularly holding events on college campuses across the country, giving young conservative voices a platform.