State and local leaders reacted to the passing of influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday.
Kirk, a podcaster and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a speaking engagement at a college in Utah on Wednesday. The stop was part of a speaking tour planned by the influencer.
President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s passing in a social media post calling him, “great” and “even legendary.”
Following Kirk’s passing, former Texas Sen. Don Huffines — a current candidate for comptroller — reacted by calling Kirk a “savant for liberty.”
“Mary Catherine and I are heartbroken beyond words,” Huffines wrote. “This was an act of evil, an execution of America’s fearless defender of faith and virtue. My friend, we will NEVER FORGET you. We owe you so much. Charlie Kirk is a martyr for God and country.”
Prior to Trump’s announcement about Kirk’s passing, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson also reacted to the news of Kirk’s shooting, asking supporters to say a prayer. Jackson also called Kirk a “great man widely respected across the country.”
Jackson also followed this up with a statement after Trump’s announcement saying Kirk “believed in open debate and honest conversation. He loved his family and his country”
Former Amarillo City Councilman Josh Craft posted a photo with Kirk from the broadcaster’s recent visit to the Amarillo area, simply captioning it “Pray for Charlie Kirk.”
Kirk, who died at age 31, recently spoke at an event for Hope Choice in Amarillo. The organization is one of the area’s leading crisis pregnancy service providers.