Charlie Kirk vigil draws thousands to Fort Collins

On the first tour stop since the organization s CEO was assassinated a crowd of a couple thousand people turned out for Turning Point USA s vigil for Charlie Kirk on Thursday evening at Colorado State University s Canvas Stadium Someone in the crowd holds up a picture of Charlie Kirk during a vigil for him Thursday at CSU where he had been scheduled to speak Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald Kirk who founded Turning Point USA died Wednesday Sept at an American Comeback Tour event at Utah Valley University and was scheduled to continue the tour at CSU Thursday but Turning Point USA hosted the vigil instead at the stadium located at W Pitkin St in Fort Collins Speakers included Will Witt Heidi Ganahl Isabel Brown and Andrew Wommack Before the vigil started hundreds of people lined Pitkin Street in front of the stadium various wearing red white and blue America-related and President Donald Trump merchandise Matt Johnson who was among particular of the first in line revealed that he hopes Kirk s passing is a wake-up call for people to stand up for what they believe in Too a multitude of are scared to be harmed by saying I m on the right or this or that noted Johnson who is a Weld County resident This has given people time to stand up and say You know what I certainly believe this and I m not gonna hide anymore Archibald Allison a pastor at Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Fort Collins who decided to attend the event after Kirk died revealed numerous of the young people at his church were fans of Kirk A Charlie Kirk book and poster sit with candles at a Thursday vigil Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald They want to talk about what happened They want to do something Allison revealed They want to feel for the family and so several people across the country that are affected A small stage with three images of Kirk in front of a podium and flowers sat vacant as people chanted U-S-A waiting for the event to begin Nearly a fourth of the stadium was filled with CSU students and members of the masses by the time the event began Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl described Kirk as a changemaker for young people noting Turning Point USA s chapters and events across college campuses He was a warrior for free speech unshackled by censorship for small administration unbowed by a bureaucracy and for crushing the creeping shadow of collectivism that threatens the American dream this day she noted CSU alum Isabel Brown notified the audience about how she exposed Turning Point USA through a targeted Facebook advertisement I was alone I was isolated and I was desperate for an outlet to connect with others who shared my Christian conservative worldview stated Brown who is also a conservative creator with a daily wire show called the Isabel Brown Show and is also the president of CSU s Turning Point USA chapter Lynne Miller left Pat Flinn center left Abbie Flinn center right and Beth Lemiskho right cheer for Charlie Kirk on Thursday during a Turning Point USA Vigil for Kirk at Colorado State University in Fort Collins They are all wearing t-shirts they made for a assurance arrangement Pat and Abbie Flinn want to start for conservative and Christian events Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald Following the event at the stadium the organization National Ground Meeting on its own Unf k America Tour hosted a Prove Me Wrong style debate which Kirk was known for and planning on hosting ahead of the evening event at CSU Members of National Ground Event which was created to counter the efforts of Turning Point USA have been debating Kirk since April stated Executive Director Zee Cohen-Sanchez and were planning on debating him Thursday Cohen-Sanchez added that the organization took a lot of inspiration from Kirk and what she called his ability to marry the media with the ground meeting filming and posting debates on social media I really believe that Charlie was one of if not the best political operative of our generation she mentioned I think that as Democrats we haven t put the footwork in to deserve that hopefully we ll see the results of that in the next balloting Ed Ledezma-Moncada one of the creators on the tour stated that although he never agreed with any of Kirk s beliefs he hopes people on both sides of the political spectrum will condemn political violence including Kirk s assassination We re not going to move forward with the country if only one side is condemning it the right requirements to condemn it as well he declared It s sad what happened to Charlie I never thought he deserved to die Heidi Ganahl speaks Thursday during a Turning Point USA Vigil for Charlie Kirk at Colorado State University in Fort Collins Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald People wait in line outside Canvas Stadium for a Turning Point USA Vigil for Charlie Kirk at Colorado State University in Fort Collins on Thursday Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald Gabe Saint president of the University of Wyoming Turning Point chapter center speaks Thursday during a Turning Point USA Vigil for Charlie Kirk at Colorado State University in Fort Collins From left on the ground are Reece Robertson with the UW chapter Alex Smithhisler with the CSU chapter and Jules Devigne with the CSU chapter Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald Lynne Miller left Pat Flinn center left Abbie Flinn center right and Beth Lemiskho right cheer for Charlie Kirk on Thursday during a Turning Point USA Vigil for Kirk at Colorado State University in Fort Collins They are all wearing t-shirts they made for a safeguard amenity Pat and Abbie Flinn want to start for conservative and Christian events Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald Wearing their Charlie Kirk t-shirts Lou Sanchez left Veronica Sanchez center and their granddaughter Jaycee Medina right hold their phone lights up during a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk during a Turning Point USA Vigil on Thursday at Colorado State University in Fort Collins Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald Someone in the crowd holds up a picture of Charlie Kirk during a vigil for him Thursday at CSU where he had been scheduled to speak Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald A Charlie Kirk book and poster sit with candles at a Thursday vigil Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald Show Caption of Heidi Ganahl speaks Thursday during a Turning Point USA Vigil for Charlie Kirk at Colorado State University in Fort Collins Jenny Sparks Loveland Reporter-Herald Expand