Nearly 200 people gathered in Manhattan on Friday night for a vigil honoring Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder who was fatally shot earlier this week during an event in Utah.
Organized by the New York Young Republican Club, the vigil at Madison Square Park drew men and women in suits and dark clothing who lit candles, raised American flags and placed roses beneath a towering black-and-white poster that read “Charles James Kirk, 1993–2025.” Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa attended the gathering, standing among the crowd as mourners bowed their heads and some recorded speeches on their phones.
The crowd circled the reflecting pool as dozens of candles flickered and attendees joined in a rendition of “Amazing Grace,” according to video posted on social media. The Manhattan vigil was one of several memorials held across New York City and nationwide following Kirk’s death, part of a broader wave of remembrance that stretched through the week after the slaying.
Kirk, 31, who helped found Turning Point USA and built a large social media following as a voice for young conservatives, was shot Wednesday during a question-and-answer session in Utah. Authorities have said he was killed at the event; the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Organizers at Madison Square Park emphasized the solemn tone of the gathering and the symbolic use of flags, candles and flowers. Attendees included members of the New York Young Republican Club, young conservatives who circulated around the memorial to photograph the tribute, and Republican political figures who voiced calls for rejecting violence in the wake of the killing.
The vigil in Manhattan capped a week of tributes that city and national figures described as moments to honor Kirk’s influence on conservative activism and to underscore an appeal for civility in political discourse. Public remembrances have taken place in multiple cities as friends, supporters and political allies gathered to pay respects and to call for a nonviolent response.
Authorities in Utah have said they are continuing their investigation into the shooting and have not released a complete timeline of events or details about potential motives. In the immediate aftermath, leaders from both major parties and within the conservative movement urged Americans to reject political violence, and several organizations and campuses announced plans for memorials and moments of silence.
The Manhattan vigil concluded after speakers and attendees observed a period of quiet around the memorial before dispersing, leaving roses and a ring of candlelight at the site in Madison Square Park.