Pastor Jack Hibbs said he spoke with conservative activist Charlie Kirk just hours before Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday while launching a campus tour, and called the Turning Point USA founder an "American martyr" whose death will galvanize supporters.
Kirk, 31, was shot at the kickoff event for his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was pronounced dead after being shot in the neck, leaving behind his wife, Erika, and two young children, ages 1 and 3. Authorities have said the shooting occurred during the event; investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Hibbs, pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California, told Fox News Digital he was in disbelief after learning of the shooting and said he had spoken with Kirk earlier the same day. "My initial thoughts, of course, like everyone else, is what is going on in our country?" Hibbs said, adding that Kirk was a man of deep faith who loved the Bible and spent years studying scripture with him.
Hibbs said he had asked Kirk if his brother could attend the event and that Kirk generously allowed the request. Hibbs recounted that his brother sent photos of himself with Kirk just before the event and called during the shooting, reporting that he had been roughly 25 to 35 feet from Kirk when people began screaming and running.
"This just galvanized an entire generation of not only those who follow Charlie, but those who criticized him," Hibbs said, calling Kirk an "American martyr" whose death would inspire others. He urged supporters to remember Kirk's faith and described him as tender-hearted despite his public persona as a combative conservative figure.
Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a group that became prominent in conservative and pro‑Trump circles, particularly on college campuses. He rose to national attention during the 2016 election cycle and cultivated close ties with former President Donald Trump and members of his circle. Turning Point USA organized large-scale events and specialized gatherings, including a Black Leadership Summit that brought young participants to the White House during Trump's first term.
The killing prompted vigils across the country and expressions of condolence from political figures. First Lady Melania Trump offered her sympathies to the Kirk family, while supporters and critics alike gathered in the days after to mourn and to call for restraint amid heightened tensions.
Hibbs and Kirk collaborated over several years on podcasts and cultural events, and Kirk was invited multiple times to speak at Hibbs' church on subjects including gender identity, abortion, school choice and biblical prophecy, Hibbs said. One of Kirk's recent appearances at the church took place in March at an event titled "A Christian or Pagan Nation."
Hibbs described Kirk as generous and empathetic, contrasting that private side with his more provocative public image. "What a lot of people don't realize is they see the Charlie Kirk, so to speak, in his armor, right on stage or on the university campus, but Charlie was a very tender‑hearted young man, very, very empathetic," Hibbs said.
The campus tour Kirk was launching aimed to bring him to college campuses nationwide to debate and engage with students. Organizers had billed the series as an effort to challenge liberal viewpoints on college campuses and to encourage public debates.
Kirk's death is likely to reverberate through conservative youth networks and political circles that relied on his messaging and organizational reach. Turning Point USA has served as a conduit between young conservative activists and political leaders, helping to raise profiles of student organizers and linking them to national campaigns and events.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the shooting. In the wake of the killing, leaders across the political spectrum and communities impacted by the event called for calm and for law enforcement to complete its inquiry. Vigils and memorials planned by supporters reflected immediate public mourning for a figure who had become a polarizing but central voice in American conservatism.