The tragic death of Charlie Kirk Wednesday, founder of Turning Point USA, adds to the somber and increasing list of conservative people and institutions that have been the targets of assault, vandalism, and murder.
A examination of the previous four years by HeadlinesForever Digital uncovered a long history of conservatives and Republicans confronting violence, including two attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump in a roughly two-month timeframe in 2024, which led to the deadly gunshot.
Gunfire broke out during Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour” speech at Utah Valley University, and he promptly fell to the ground. Urged to a nearby hospital, he was later declared deceased.
The father-of-three, who was 31 years old at the time, was an ardent supporter of President Trump’s and traveled the country speaking to young people, especially on college campuses, about right-wing philosophy. His conservative organization was established about ten years ago by him.
Shootings, arsons, and vandalism have targeted conservatives and pro-life charities in the last four years alone.
At least two assassination attempts have targeted Trump personally. One of them occurred on July 13, 2024, when he was shot in the ear while attending a campaign event in Butler, Penn. The incident sent shockwaves across the election cycle when Trump sprang from the throng, bloodied and rebellious, and commanded, “Fight, fight, fight.” Two days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, there was an attempt on his life.
At the convention, Trump—who was sporting an ear bandage—mentioned how he “had God on my side” throughout the endeavor. Thomas Crooks, a 20-year-old would-be assassin, was murdered by a sniper from the Secret Service. His motivation is yet unknown. As HeadlinesForever Digital noted earlier, the FBI has linked the crime to a complicated web of personal grudges, mental health difficulties, and a desire for fame.
Trump was forcibly removed from his Florida golf property on September 15, 2024, only weeks afterward, when gunfire erupted. As previously reported by HeadlinesForever Digital, the suspect in that assassination attempt case, Ryan Routh, was quite active on social media in the months leading up to the attempt, posting extensively about Trump, the 2024 election, and politics.
The president was characterized as a “insecure ego idiot-mad fool” by Routh in court filings from September, according to the New York Post, and the trial for the matter is scheduled for Thursday.
Grassroots attacks on conservatives have also occurred; for example, the New Mexico Republican Party’s headquarters was arson-damaged this year. An assault sprayed “ICE=KKK” graffiti on the building and destroyed the door to the chief executive office.
Attorney General Pam Bondi cited the event as a troubling instance of political violence, and the defendant in that case was slammed with federal charges. The suspect had reportedly assaulted a Tesla Albuquerque showroom as well.
Violence has been an ongoing problem for TPUSA chapters around the country. In April, for example, masked assailants attacked a group of UC Davis students affiliated with the organization, according to a story from Fox Digital.
According to TPUSA, demonstrators attacked organization personnel, toppled tables, smashed video gear, a tent, and event signs when the conservative group was presenting a “Prove me Wrong” event with a guest speaker.
Reminiscing about the year 2023, conservative political activist and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines was also assaulted and confined to a room at San Francisco State University after addressing students and advocating for a prohibition on biological males participating in women’s sports. Leadership Institute and Turning Point USA co-hosted the forum on campus.
Since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, which essentially terminated the acceptance of abortion as a constitutional right, in 2022, churches and pro-life groups have also been subjected to dozens upon dozens of attacks.
A pro-life facility in Buffalo, N.Y., was “firebombed” in 2022, among other incidents; Catholic churches were plundered and burned; and pro-choice demonstrators disrupted Catholic masses and services. The assaults occurred after a hardline pro-choice organization publicly said in a letter that pro-lifers were targeted in a “open season” campaign.
In 2017, during Republican members’ practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Alexandria, Virginia, James Hodgkinson, a disturbed Bernie Sanders supporter, opened fire on a baseball field, killing three people and wounding House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana. Even though he came close to death, Scalise is still serving in his position.
The FBI and ATF are now investigating the Wednesday deadly shooting of Kirk, but no suspect has been identified as of yet, according to Bondi.
In the wake of the tragedy, Trump and members of his Cabinet have sent an overwhelming show of sympathy to Kirk’s family.
Trump said on Truth Social on Wednesday that “Charlie Kirk, the Great and Legendary,” had passed away. Charlie was the only one who truly grasped and embodied the American youth spirit. He was cherished and respected by everyone, including me, and sadly, he is no longer among us. My deepest sympathies are with his lovely wife Erika and their family at this time, Melania. To Charlie, you are loved.