WASHINGTON — Top Republicans, conservative activists and students filled the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Sunday night for a candlelit vigil honoring Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA who was fatally shot last week.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said the assassination had cast “a dark shadow” over the nation and that Kirk — who built a prominent conservative youth movement over more than a decade — would want supporters to answer fear with resolve. The event, one of a number of vigils held around the country, drew more than 85 members of Congress, White House and cabinet officials, activists and local residents, organizers said.
Attendees filled Concert Hall, which seats as many as 2,500, and many wore shirts with the word “Freedom,” a reference to the T-shirt Kirk reportedly wore when he was killed. Speakers recounted personal connections to Kirk and lauded his influence on a generation of conservative activists and campus organizers.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Kirk “turned the political tide among young people” and helped usher in what she described as President Trump’s historic victory. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a former mentee of Kirk’s, said a call from him changed her plans to attend medical school and led her into politics. Luna called Kirk “one of the biggest political minds and activists of our lifetime.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has recently worked alongside Kirk on conservative political causes, said Kirk helped unify him with former President Trump and described Kirk as an “architect” of that alignment. Kennedy recalled personal conversations with Kirk and urged attendees to continue the work Kirk championed.
Speakers frequently became emotional and at times framed their remarks around faith and resilience. Tulsi Gabbard, identified during the event as the director of national intelligence, recalled comforting a grieving friend and said, “No, it did work. That’s why they killed him,” in reference to Kirk’s strategy of responding to opponents with peaceful activism.
The vigil made little mention of the suspect in Kirk’s slaying. Authorities detained 22-year-old Tyler Robinson the day after the killing; officials said he was expected to be charged on Tuesday. Robinson had enrolled briefly at Utah State University before leaving and later attended trade school, according to accounts reported by authorities.
Kari Lake, who has run unsuccessfully for statewide office in Arizona, described the shooting as part of a wider epidemic of political violence and urged mothers to reconsider sending children to what she described as “indoctrination camps,” a reference to colleges and universities. Her remarks drew sustained applause from the crowd.
Musical and religious elements were woven through the procession. Christian recording artist Sean Feucht led hymns, and attendees closed the event waving candles and phone flashlights. Organizers and speakers noted Kirk’s efforts to train and inspire young activists, calling members of his movement “happy warriors.”
Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and over the next 13 years became a prominent voice on college campuses and conservative media. He is survived by his wife and two young children.
The vigil in Washington was one of several events organized to remember Kirk’s life and legacy. Organizers and speakers repeatedly emphasized continuity of the movement he helped build and urged supporters to carry forward his work through activism and political engagement. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the shooting as prosecutors consider charges against the detained suspect.