Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

UPDATE: This post was updated at 1:24 p.m. on September 19, 2025.

On Thursday night, the top floor of Syracuse University’s Schine Student Center — typically crowded with students – was reserved only for those attending a vigil in memory of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Organized by SU’s chapter of College Republicans, the gathering came a week after Kirk was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University. About 30 attended — watching as chapter members delivered speeches about Kirk, laid plastic white roses and candles in front of his portrait and led some in prayer.

Department of Public Safety officers and Student Engagement staffers greeted attendees before allowing them to walk up to the third floor.

“By being here earnestly, you demonstrate that the sanctity of life is something to respect and not to disregard, even if you disagree with the person,” College Republicans Treasurer Cruz Thapa said in opening remarks. “This is what we will be unifying over tonight, the fact that this man, husband, father and ambassador did not deserve to die.”

Speakers at the vigil described Kirk as an inspiration to young conservatives, a “good Christian man” and someone open to debating opposing views — citing his past debates with liberal students on college campuses. Several said his death, which some called “brutal” and “gruesome,” had pushed conservatives to become more resolute in their beliefs.

Kirk was killed while debating a student at UVU for the start of his “The American Comeback” college tour. The man accused of killing Kirk, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested after a 33-hour manhunt, according to CNN. As of Tuesday, Utah County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Robinson; he is facing seven charges, including aggravated murder.

Kirk’s killing sparked safety concerns at other college campuses. The day after his death, several historically Black colleges and universities went under lockdown after false threats.

Several administrators, DPS officers and Student Engagement staff attended but did not participate in the vigil. Allen Groves, SU’s senior vice president and chief student experience officer, said he was in attendance to ensure student safety.

In his remarks, Thapa drew connections between SU’s right-leaning community, Kirk himself and the UVU chapter of Turning Point USA — Kirk’s conservative education-based non-profit.

“We, too, could have just been him,” Thapa said during his opening speech.

Afterwards, Thapa led the group in a vow against political violence.

The vigil featured eight speakers, including College Republicans members, alumni and outside supporters of their mission. The event concluded with multiple optional Christian prayer circles — one Catholic, one Protestant and one Orthodox.

A slideshow of photos of Kirk and his family played in the background throughout the vigil, along with American flag graphics and captions. Questions such as “How are you remaining vigilant?” and “How did Kirk’s legacy affect you?” appeared at the bottom of the screen.

The first speaker, SU College of Law student Connor Hunt, centered his speech around Kirk’s Christian faith, whose beliefs he described as “the fundamental ground upon which this nation was built.”

“The shooter harbored ill will against (Kirk) because of his opinion, and he completed this demented and animalistic attack in order to silence him,” Hunt said in his speech. “It is this violence, the type that attempts to silence individuals for their opinions, that will end our republic.”

SU Chancellor Kent Syverud discussed Kirk’s killing on Wednesday during a 20-minute address to the University Senate, during which he noted a rise of “serious security concerns” on college campuses in the wake of his passing.

“A human being was murdered in front of hundreds of college students, and many of whom agreed with his views, and the reaction has been complicated and troubling,” Syverud said during the Senate meeting.

Many speakers wove Christianity into their remarks. Hunt closed his speech with “Amen,” while others ended with phrases like “God bless Charlie Kirk and his family” and “God bless you all,” as well as describing Kirk as a “martyr” and a man who lived “through Christ, our Lord and savior.”

One speaker, Ryan, who gave only his first name, said he had previously been a Democrat but struggled with anxiety and depression during his freshman year. He said finding Christianity helped him through that difficult period and led him to join the Republican Party, which he said he officially did the day after Kirk’s death.

Another speaker, Dio Brown — a Turning Point leader at Onondaga Community College — said they believe American society is being pushed in a direction that’s “materialist, degenerate and anti-Christian.” They described this year as being “tough” for Christians living in America.

Brown also criticized Democratic leaders for “mindless, hateful speech,” arguing it made Kirk appear more extreme in his beliefs. In the wake of Kirk’s passing, President Donald Trump attributed recent political violence and division to the “radical left,” ABC News reported.

“It’s been a tough year to be a Christian in America,” Brown said. “This is a critical time for us to come together. We need more Charlies.”

Most speakers didn’t directly criticize Democrats, and some even said they didn’t agree with all of Kirk’s beliefs.

One speaker, who didn’t provide her name, said while she identifies as a conservative and a Christian, her political beliefs didn’t completely align with Kirk’s. Still, she condemned people who celebrated his death.

“There is no case, in my opinion, that ever justifies death, which is why I’m pro-life and anti-death penalty. It is not our right to take someone’s life. Only God has that power,” she said. “So if you are sitting in this audience and you did disagree with him, and you think maybe he even deserved it, no one deserves death.”

The idea of combating political violence and division also emerged throughout the vigil. The third speaker, who introduced himself as Michael, described those who celebrated Kirk’s death as “callous” despite never personally being a fan of his debating content, he said.

Other speakers praised Kirk’s legacy as a debater, one describing how he would often speak “human-to-human” during his debate events and attempt to find common ground. Another said his death has inspired people to share their beliefs further, potentially creating “millions more” conservatives.

“He meant a lot to me,” Nathan Brown, an SU freshman and vigil attendee, told The Daily Orange. “I admire how level headed he was, and he allowed people to have a voice, whether you agreed with him or not. People had their voices heard. I respected that a lot.”

Robinson’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29, according to CBS News. Before Thursday’s vigil, the United States Senate passed a resolution making Oct. 14 — Kirk’s birthday — a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk,” Axios reported.

Published on September 19, 2025 at 2:36 am
Contact Julia: jmboehni@syr.edu