Vigils broke out across the country over the past week for conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed while speaking at an event at a university in Utah last Wednesday.
Turlock happened to be host to one of the largest in the region on Friday night, with roughly 550 community members and local dignitaries gathering on the Stanislaus State campus to remember Kirk. The event was organized by the Stanislaus Young Republicans in conjunction with the Stan State and Modesto Junior College Turning Point USA chapters.
The large crowd gathered around the Sequoia Lake gazebo on the southwest corner of the campus.
“It was the best way to honor a great man, one who stood for the very principles on which this nation was created,” said Stan State chapter president Wyland Hapgood.
Among those in attendance were Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak, Councilmember Erika Phillips, Turlock Unified School District board member Patrick Shields, Merced County supervisors Lloyd Pareira and Daron McDaniel and a field representative for state assemblymember Juan Alanis.
The crowd joined in prayer, led by Pastor Tim Benefield of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Modesto, for Kirk’s family and for the end of political violence across the nation.
“Our organization felt very strongly that this vigil be held on campus to honor the legacy of Charlie Kirk's campus activism,” Stanislaus Young Republicans Chairman Christan Santos said prior to the event.
University Police were on hand for enhanced security due to the circumstances surrounding Kirk’s death on a college campus.
Kirk, 31, was the founder of conservative activist group Turning Point USA, and became known for his viral debates on college campuses. The popular and polarizing figure was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University when he was shot in the neck. The suspected gunman, Tyler Robinson, was charged Tuesday with aggravated murder, a case in which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The 22-year-old also was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Turning Point USA is tailored towards young people on high school and college campuses. The mission, according to their website, is “to empower informed civic and cultural engagement grounded in American exceptionalism and a positive spirit of action” through “development of knowledge, skills, values and motivation, so they can meaningfully engage in their communities to restore traditional American values like patriotism, respect for life, liberty, family, and fiscal responsibility.”
“Charlie pushed me to openly debate with those around me who may not agree with me and find common ground whenever possible,” said Edgar Aguirre, vice president of the Modesto Junior College TPUSA chapter.
TPUSA describes itself as the fastest-growing campus organization in the nation. At the time of Kirk’s death, it had a presence on over 3,500 college and high school campuses. Of the official 1,200 high school and 900 college chapters are established groups at Turlock Christian and Pitman high schools.
Turning Point began the process of establishing a chapter at Stanislaus State in April, and held their first on-campus event later that month featuring Chloe Cole, a detransitioner who advocates against gender-affirming procedures. According to campus news outlet, The Signal, “the event drew both support and protest, prompting a broader conversation among students, faculty, and staff around freedom of speech, identity, and institutional responsibility.”
Cole returned to the campus on Friday for Kirk's vigil.
Coincidentally, the Stanislaus State Turning Point USA chapter became officially chartered on the day of Kirk’s assassination.
Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of "The Charlie Kirk Show” and TPUSA spokesperson, said Monday that the organization has received more than 37,000 inquiries since Kirk’s death from people wanting to start new campus chapters.
The recent events have reinvigorated Hapgood, Aguirre and other young conservatives in the area.
“I refuse to believe our boys took gunshots on the beaches in Normandy and Iwo Jima so that we could exchange gunshots on the campuses and streets of America over political differences,” said Santos. “That’s not what they died for. We battle at the ballot box in this country, not with the ammo box.”
Stanislaus Young Republicans Membership Chair Ryan Taylor, who ran for city council in 2022, added: “Kirk has been such an inspiration to me and so many people I know. We are going to keep speaking up about what is right. We will not allow fear to control us or stop us from doing what is right for our cities and country.”
