Editor’s note: Lanthorn staff writer Kelsie Manor contributed reporting to this piece.

A vigil was held at Grand Valley State University Sept. 10 for conservative activist and Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in Utah just hours before. 

Kirk was fatally shot during a TPUSA tour stop at Utah Valley University. Vigils have been held across the country to mourn Kirk, including in Allendale at the Cook Carillon Tower.

The event was organized by the Ottawa County Republican Party and campus TPUSA chapter. Both students who attend GVSU and members of the community were in attendance. Some attendees shed tears throughout the vigil as people shared thoughts, prayers, bible verses and condolences for Kirk and his family.

“May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior, who suffered and died for Charlie,” said TPUSA in a statement.

Ottawa County Republican Party Chair Joel Studebaker expressed grief and a request to pray for Kirk’s family. Studebaker further praised Kirk’s work for creating what he believed to be a space for civil discourse.

“I think he did everything he could to try to have productive dialogue with people whether they agreed with him or not,” said Studebaker. “I think our Nation needs a lot of that rather than shying away from having civil discussion where we disagree and we’ve lost a lot of that. He was a great example of trying to bring some of that back.” 

Darren Fife, former president of TPUSA GVSU met Kirk at a Detroit summit in June. Fife said Kirk’s death “hit him as hard” as a few of his close relatives who have passed away. 

“It’s truly shocking and I hope and pray that the civil authorities are able to bring justice swiftly to the culprits behind this act of terrorism,” Fife said. 

Kirk was a highly controversial figure for his political viewpoints, a point which has created contention since his passing. One subtle protester, Grace Perrin of Walker, was in the crowd during the vigil. She questioned why more people weren’t praying for the victims of a Colorado high-school shooting that also happened Wednesday. She alluded to a statement Kirk made in 2023 in which he said some gun deaths every year were unfortunately worth it to uphold the Second Amendment. 

“I would just like to thank you (God) for the sacrifice that Charlie Kirk made with his absolute willingness to sacrifice a few lives every year to keep and bear arms, and (I) am just grateful that it wasn’t more students who were trying to learn,” Perrin said. 

Perrin is a gun owner herself. She said she wanted to honor students who are victims of gun violence and school shootings because she believes the matter is not receiving enough attention. 

“This is what children are seeing in their schools all the time, and nobody seems to care about that as much as they do about this man’s life,” Perrin said. “There’s kids being gunned down in schools constantly, they deserve a hell of a lot more attention than this guy does.” 

Perrin said while she appreciates her right to own and carry guns, she believes it should be a lot harder to access them. She feels there should be a stronger federal background-check process, especially concerning mental health history. 

Angel Hughes, a third-year student at GVSU, agreed with this point, stating a desire for stricter gun control. 

“I believe the Second Amendment needs to be revised,” said Hughes. “I think there needs to be more certification that goes into it, and this is something that needs to be talked about more.” 

Hughes disagrees with Kirk on most of his political points, but emphasized no one should be killed for their beliefs. She didn’t identify as liberal or conservative but called out those who have seemingly celebrated Kirk’s death.

“No one should be grateful for horrendous acts such as these,” Hughes said. “I feel the same way about the Colorado school shootings and all of the school shootings that have been happening. Gun violence is gun violence, and it would be hypocritical if I said that I am happy that somebody was shot and killed.”

Hughes is worried about how the increasing threat of gun violence will affect civil discourse and the atmosphere of college campuses. She said no one should be afraid to voice their opinion.

“It can happen to liberals, it can happen to conservatives, it can happen to school children,” Hughes said. “Gun violence is gun violence and it doesn’t discriminate. It can happen anywhere.” 

Like Kirk’s debates, his death has sparked discussions about gun violence in America. Studebaker and Fife stood by their beliefs despite yesterday’s events, emphasizing the Second Amendment. 

“I think you have to ask yourself the question, what’s more important, freedom or safety?” Studebaker said. “I would hope every single person in America would say freedom because if you lose your freedom, you lose your safety. My position hasn’t changed one bit by anything that has happened today. I believe in the Second Amendment, I believe in 100% freedom and I believe that we should stand by the U.S. Constitution in its most simple form.” 

Fife said he is still a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and that taking away “guns from law-abiding citizens does not prevent murders or crimes.”

“I’m a strong supporter of citizens having the right to bear arms in a good way,” said Fife, going on to state the Second Amendment allows citizens to be their own first responders in times of urgency.