Fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk sparks free speech concerns among college students
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Tuesday during a stop on his campus tour at Utah Valley University.
Reactions were shared via social media from lawmakers in Indiana. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) called Kirk “one of the most influential leaders of the conservative movement,” while Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) condemned the shooting as “a dark day in America.”
Kirk, known for his college speaking tours, was set to appear next month at Indiana University, which was recently ranked among the worst U.S. colleges for free speech by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Many students expressed concern about the implications of the shooting.
“Considering he was just there on a college campus, just giving his opinion and then randomly got shot... I think people will be more hesitant to share their opinions publicly,” said Deborah Garcia, a Notre Dame student.