BRADENTON, Fla. — In the glow of flickering candles, roughly 2,000 people filled a park in Bradenton to honor Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated just days ago at an event in Utah.
Most in the crowd never met Kirk personally. But for those who did, the night was a chance to grieve and to share memories of the man they say left a mark on their lives.
WATCH: Friends and supporters remember Charlie Kirk at Bradenton candlelight vigil
Kelly A. Walker, who described herself as one of Kirk’s friends, said he was “kind, open-minded, a loving husband, a devoted father, and a very very faithful friend. Charlie’s passing has only inspired us to fight harder in his honor."
Will Witt, another speaker at the vigil, worked with Kirk at Turning Point USA, the group Kirk founded to bring more young people to the Conservative movement. It was a Turning Point event during which Kirk was killed.
“If it wasn’t for Charlie, I don’t think the entire youth Conservative movement would even be a thing at all,” Witt, an author and Conservative activist, said.
The vigil also drew local and state leaders, including Florida’s Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins. Collins spoke directly to the grief and anger many in the audience are feeling. He reminded them that Kirk’s mission should continue, and its supporters should not respond with violence.
“We are not going to fight evil with evil,” Collins said. “We are going to fight evil with God-fearing patriots stepping up and doing what’s right.”
For some, Kirk’s influence was relatively new but just as powerful. Hillsborough Community College student Sierra Mercer began following Kirk’s work only about a year ago. “He was the turning point, and his death is also a turning point,” she said.
The Sarasota-Bradenton Young Republicans, the Tampa Bay Young Republicans, and the Pinellas County Young Republicans organized the vigil.
Kirk was no stranger to the Bradenton-Sarasota area. His family owns a Gulf-front condo in Longboat Key.
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