Witnesses say Kirk’s focus on dialogue and human connection left a lasting impression despite the tragic event.
Students at Utah Valley University (UVU) are reflecting on how the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on their campus has fundamentally changed their understanding of political discourse and human connection. Some students said the Sept. 10 assassination has dramatically shifted perspectives about the 31-year-old commentator.
“Before this happened, I did not like listening to him,” Bernards said. “My views have changed. He’s there with Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated for his political beliefs. Abraham Lincoln tried to mend the gap. He tried to unite people.”
According to Bernards, learning about Kirk’s character through listening to his conversations with students and interviews rather than secondhand accounts has revealed a different person entirely.
“Charlie, I now know after listening to reports of him, not what other people have said about him … how he treated other people that were different than him, who believed differently than him — he treated them with respect,” Bernards said. “I think the humanity in him is worth remembering, because we’re all humans.”
The shooting has created an atmosphere of reflection and unity among UVU students who witnessed the assassination or have been affected by its aftermath. Many describe the experience as transformative, pushing them toward deeper conversations about faith, politics, and human understanding.
Student Caden Thomseth, who described Kirk as an inspiration to young people, recounted the shift from excitement to devastation that occurred during the campus event.
“In the beginning, when he first showed up, he started talking; the energy was really high. Everyone had a good feeling, you know, he was telling everyone how much he loved Mormons, and so it was just a good vibe,” Thomseth told NTD. “And then, it really all changed once he was shot, and it’s just been, it was just devastating. Seeing it, I couldn’t even comprehend it.”
Thomseth said in his view Kirk’s death has motivated students to become more politically engaged and willing to speak on cross-partisan topics.
“I think the most important thing is the young people and the students that have decided to take action and to speak up and have shown their willingness to have conversations with other people,” Thomseth said.
The importance of these conversations, he said, lies in breaking down echo chambers that prevent meaningful understanding.
“If you don’t, and you only talk to the people that you agree with, you think the world works a certain way, and everyone has the same viewpoint as you,” he said. “If you talk to someone else, you could really learn something that you didn’t think about before.”
James Freeman, another UVU student, spoke of Kirk’s commitment to faith and family values as central to his legacy.
“Charlie Kirk, to me, was an example of somebody that’s true to the Lord and true to family values, and somebody who is courageous and willing to [stand by] what he believes in,” Freeman told NTD.
According to Freeman, Kirk’s assassination represents a breakdown in civil discourse and democratic principles.
“It’s just, it’s sad that people are willing to end the life of someone they disagree with. I think that it’s such a needless act of violence, and I think that for me, it represents kind of a failure of communication, a failure of willingness to have discussion,” he said.
The location of the assassination is meaningful for Freeman, who described the area as a place of personal peace and reflection where he had previously taken graduation photos and sought solitude for prayer and study.
“I was very impacted by Charlie’s death, by the fact that he was assassinated in my school,” he said.
Student Landon Memmott, who witnessed the chaotic aftermath of the shooting, praised Kirk’s approach to dialogue and human connection.
“What I did appreciate, and I watched for quite a while, was his desire to understand people and have that human connection. I really appreciated that when he would debate, and I know sometimes it did get out of hand, just like anybody would, but I felt like for the most part, he tried to be pretty good to people and understand them,” Memmott told NTD News.
Husband and wife Ethan and Leland Osterhout described the surreal moments following the gunshot that claimed Kirk’s life.
“Neither of us thought it was real, because he was just talking about shooters, and it was just like the timing was so, it was almost comedic,” Ethan said. “I blinked because I heard the shot, and I was watching him, and it’s like in slow motion, I saw the round hit his neck, and then the amount of blood that came out, it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
According to Leland Osterhout, the initial disbelief quickly turned to terror as the reality of the situation became clear.
“It was just bizarre and just unspeakable,” she said.
The couple described having to flee through water surrounding the amphitheater-style venue, not knowing whether additional shots would be fired.
“We had to run through the water and jump out of the water to get to safety. We didn’t know if we were going to be shot at. We didn’t know what was going on,” Ethan said.
Turek said Kirk’s security team quickly took over an SUV to rush Kirk to the hospital, with Turek climbing through the back gate as the vehicle took off. Despite their efforts, including attempts at CPR during the four-mile journey, Kirk had already died from his wounds.
“He was with Jesus already,” Turek said, adding that doctors later confirmed Kirk suffered no pain and had died instantly from the gunshot.
The suspected shooter, Tyler James Robinson, 22, of Washington, Utah, was arrested 33 hours after the shooting, according to Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray. Robinson faces charges including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and committing a violent crime in the presence of a child.
According to FBI Director Kash Patel, investigators recovered evidence showing Robinson had written a note pledging to “take out” Kirk before the attack. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Robinson’s political views had “shifted drastically” in recent years after immersing himself in online gaming and “dark internet” culture.
Salt Lake City resident Suzette Parkinson, who attended the campus memorial events, described Kirk’s assassination as “an attack on free speech” and said that “they’ve been trying to shut down conservatives for a long time.”
Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, has scheduled a public memorial for Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix.
