US Can't Be 'Driven By Fear' After Kirk Killing, Says Rep. Stevens

Democrat Representative Haley Stevens of Michigan said that she wants to see the temperature in the US come down, condemning the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The congresswoman said that lawmakers 'putting their heads in the sand' is not the answer amid threats.

The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has spurred fear and anxiety throughout the Capitol as lawmakers question how safe they are from political violence.

Kirk, a high-profile ally of President Donald Trump, was shot Wednesday by an assailant. While congressional Republicans mourn Kirk’s death, they’re also reckoning with the growing threat of political violence. The incident has reignited bipartisan conversations about how best to protect members of Congress and candidates.

“We’ve got to protect people who run for public office, or no one will,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters Thursday.

Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of House leaders launched a pilot program increasing members’ access to security funds. Members were offered a higher Residential Security Program limit of $20,000, as well as access to $5,000 a month for personal security through this month.

Only about 20 lawmakers took advantage of the new program, Johnson said, leaving leaders with a limited “dataset” to evaluate how it worked. Before Kirk’s death, the speaker said lawmakers were already planning to review the pilot. Johnson said he and other leaders are in the midst of a “very deliberate review process” about how to improve lawmaker security.

Johnson said giving every lawmaker a security detail isn’t feasible because it would cost billions.

The FBI has received more than 130 tips and appealed for additional photos or videos from the public. Bohls said the bureau is treating the case as an attack on free speech.

“Any attack on the First Amendment is an attack on the very foundation of our democracy,” he said.

Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason cautioned against speculation after two people initially questioned were cleared of involvement. He said both had faced harassment once their names circulated.

“They were not suspects,” Mason said. “They don’t deserve that scrutiny for being subject to the investigative process.”

Mason said Kirk’s body had been transferred to the state medical examiner’s office and would be returned to his family Thursday. He called the killing “heinous” and said it didn’t reflect Utah’s traditions of service and community.

Kirk, 31, executive director of Turning Point USA and a close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot around 12:20 p.m. Wednesday as he spoke at an outdoor student event before a crowd of more than 3,000. He was answering a question about mass shootings as the shot was fired, according to video of the event, which showed his head jerking to the side and the crowd running and screaming.

He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The shooting drew condemnation from across the political spectrum. Trump called Kirk “a patriot,” ordered flags lowered nationwide and said he would award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The president said he will talk to Kirk’s family Thursday afternoon.

Vice President JD Vance, who is traveling to Utah Thursday to offer condolences to the Kirk family, wrote that the popular influencer had played a central role in his political career. Former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama also denounced the violence and offered condolences.

Kirk’s family members and friends, as well as his casket, will be flown to the Phoenix area with the vice president aboard Air Force Two, according to a person familiar with the plans. Second lady Usha Vance will accompany the vice president.

Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and built it into a prominent force in conservative politics with hundreds of campus chapters. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.

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