OREM — A year after his murder, Charlie Kirk was remembered for his faith, his commitment to young people and his courage to speak out. Thousands of people attended a memorial event Thursday night at Utah Valley University’s UCCU Center, sponsored by Turning Point USA, the political organization Kirk founded. The event’s keynote speaker, conservative political commentator Glenn Beck, called Kirk a “hero” and praised his work on college campuses. Kirk was shot and killed on September 10, 2025 while speaking at a meeting at UVU. He was 31 years old. “I knew something like this could happen,” Beck said. “He did it because he loved God. He loved his country. He loved you enough to continue doing it because he believed the truth mattered enough to move forward, and to hell with the consequences.” Olivia Jolly carries a bouquet of roses to the UVU plaza in Orem before a memorial for Charlie Kirk marking the one-year anniversary of Kirk’s death on Thursday. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Beck was among several speakers who paid tribute to Kirk during Thursday’s event. Frank Turek, who was near Kirk when he was shot, called him a “modern-day martyr.” The event was at times somber, including a moment of silence. At other times, it was loud and energetic like a political rally. Some who spoke criticized progressives. The reality is that American politics is simply worse because Charlie Kirk was murdered.–Political commentator Michael Knowles “They killed a voice. They didn’t stop the work,” said Andrew Sypher, field director for Turning Point USA. “Freedom is built to last, and so is the man who taught a generation how to build it.” One person is accused of killing Kirk. Tyler Robinson, 23, of Washington County, is charged with aggravated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted. Prosecutors have said Robinson “hated” what Kirk stood for. A judge recently determined there is enough evidence to send the case to trial. Robinson has pleaded not guilty. Impact of Kirk’s death A memorial for Charlie Kirk is displayed at Utah Valley University on Thursday. (Photo: Adam Small, KSL) During Thursday’s funeral, several videos of Kirk’s comments about marriage, children, his Christian faith and Turning Point USA’s work defending conservative politics on campuses were shown to the crowd. Sage Lloyd, president of the UVU chapter of Turning Point USA, said Kirk taught people to stand up for their beliefs. “He may never take the microphone again, but the millions of voices he inspired will never lower theirs,” Lloyd said. “His voice may have been silenced, but the ideas he planted in so many hearts cannot be.” Numerous law enforcement officers stand guard at UVU in Orem as a memorial for Charlie Kirk takes place inside the UCCU Center, marking the one-year anniversary of Kirk’s death on Thursday. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) Michael Knowles, a conservative political commentator and media personality, called Kirk “the most important and effective political activist of our generation.” His death, Knowles added, has had significant consequences. “The reality is that American politics is simply worse because Charlie Kirk was murdered,” Knowles said. “The American right is less coherent, less unified, less serious and less strong. The American left is more radical, more emboldened and more openly violent.” Beck criticized the “dark” conspiracy theories that emerged following Kirk’s death, including those directed at his widow, Erika Kirk. He also urged people to respond to those who are rude to them “with kindness and grace.” “Charlie’s message was from the only God, and it was not hate,” Beck said. “It was love, and it was the pure love of Christ which, by the way, is not soft. It is not sentimental, and believe me, the love of Christ will absolutely tell you when you are wrong.” Key findings in this article were generated with the help of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article itself is written solely by humans.
