COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Students and faculty at Texas A&M University are grappling with grief and shock following the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed Wednesday during his first stop on his American Comeback Tour at Utah Valley University. Kirk was 31 years old.
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The conservative activist, who helped create Turning Point USA in 2012, had visited the Texas A&M campus in April as part of his tour, speaking with students at Rudder Plaza and inside Rudder Theatre.
Members of the university's Turning Point USA chapter, along with several other student organizations, scheduled a vigil Thursday night to honor his memory.
"When I heard about the news it was really devastating. I mean it struck a nerve through me. I [have] just been nonstop crying since," said Chloe Smith, a student member of Turning Point USA at Texas A&M.
The tragedy has resonated deeply in Central Texas, the Brazos Valley, and across the country.
"He was our generation's like idol and influencer, and that guy took that away from us," Smith said.
Matt Haydon, faculty adviser for the Texas A&M Turning Point USA chapter, tells 15 ABC that students who saw Kirk during his April visit to Texas A&M welcomed him to campus.
Haydon recalled Kirk's communication style and his approach to political discourse.
"We're going to exchange ideas and hopefully we're going to, even though you might disagree with me, we're still going to be friends at the end of it, and I think that's where we need to get back to," Haydon said.
Smith, who participated in Kirk's April visit, planned to attend Thursday night's vigil to honor his legacy.
"I just hope for us to just be talking about his legacy and just remembering of how much of a big impact he brought to A&M and also for his comeback tours too, you know, just reflecting on what he's done for the past and so much he's done for us," Smith said.
The assassination has raised concerns about political violence, as Haydon expressed.
"I think the idea of violence becoming sort of accepted and mainstream in our political discourse is something that none of the students and nobody really wants to accept," Haydon said.
Smith tells 15 ABC that she believes campuses need stronger security measures, while Haydon added that political leaders from both parties need to take a stand against political violence and say enough is enough.
In a time of many questions and as the Texas A&M community processes this tragedy, the healing begins.
"I hope that there's someone that is able to continue Charlie's legacy all throughout the world, you know," Smith said.
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