Newsom urges Americans to carry on Charlie Kirk’s legacy with 'spirited but peaceful debate'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a strong statement on Wednesday, September 10, following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, calling the act “sick and reprehensible.”
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot during a campus appearance at Utah Valley University earlier in the day, sending shockwaves through political and student communities across the country.
Gavin Newsom condemns shooting incident as ‘sick and reprehensible’
“I knew Charlie, and I admired his passion and commitment to debate,” Newsom said. “His senseless murder is a reminder of how important it is for all of us, across the political spectrum, to foster genuine discourse on issues that deeply affect us all without resorting to political violence.”
Despite their sharp ideological differences, Newsom praised Kirk’s willingness to engage with opponents, urging Americans to honor his legacy by embracing open dialogue. “The best way to honor Charlie’s memory is to continue his work: engage with each other, across ideology, through spirited discourse,” the governor wrote. “In a democracy, ideas are tested through words and good-faith debate — never through violence. Honest disagreement makes us stronger; violence only drives us further apart and corrodes the values at the heart of this nation.”
Earlier this year, Kirk was the inaugural guest on Newsom’s podcast, 'This Is Gavin Newsom.' Their exchange, while respectful, underscored their differences. Kirk later remarked that he found the governor “charming and friendly,” but also accused him of lying “directly to my face, on camera” about one issue they debated.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot during Utah campus event
Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed at age 31 during a campus event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, September 10. The news was first shared by President Donald Trump, who mourned the loss of a close ally on his social media platform Truth Social.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote. “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.”
Kirk was in Orem, Utah, hosting the kickoff of his American Comeback Tour, where he was running his well-known “Prove Me Wrong” table. Video footage from the scene showed him speaking beneath a white canopy tent when a shot rang out, striking him on the side of the head or neck.
Panic broke out immediately, with attendees screaming and scattering for safety. Witnesses could be heard yelling, “Run, run, run!” as the crowd dispersed in chaos.
