Tears And Prayers At Wyoming Capitol Vigil For Charlie Kirk, Violence Victims

CHEYENNE — About 100 Wyomingites gathered at the state Capitol on Saturday evening to remember and honor conservative political influencer Charlie Kirk and the victims of a shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado this week. 

Kirk was gunned down while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday as part of his American Comeback Tour, which invites students to debate social and political issues.

That same day, a shooter critically injured two students at Evergreen High School.

It was an emotional gathering where people mourned, shed tears, prayed, sang and called for an end to violence.

Personal Connections

Cheyenne resident Sabrina Montano told Cowboy State Daily she felt compelled to attend because of a connection she felt to Kirk, who she learned about while attending college in Canada. 

“I found out about Charlie Kirk, Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens all in 2012 while I was at [college], and I was vehemently against them,” she said. 

While she was originally opposed to Kirk’s views, Montano said her now-husband Dave challenged her to reevaluate her beliefs, which led her to reconsider Kirk’s political stances.

“Charlie specifically brought me back to the church and changed my life,” Montano said. “I owe my life to his movement, Turning Point USA ,and to listening to opposing views honestly and truly.”

A contingent of the University of Wyoming’s Turning Point USA chapter also was at the vigil. That nationwide group was formed by Kirk.

Gabe Saint, president of the group, told Cowboy State Daily the UW members made the trip to honor Kirk for his role in shaping their values and beliefs.

“We’re going to inspire people to keep fighting for what Charlie fought for and we’re going to fight for what’s right and all these people are here to do that too,” he said. “There’s a lot of patriots, but there’s a lot of evil in this world that patriots and Christians can no longer tolerate."

Saint added he expects his group will only continue to grow in the aftermath of Kirk’s murder.

“People think we’re big now, they have no idea,” he said. “We got our marching orders from Erika Kirk last night, we know what to do.”

He was referring to Charlie Kirk’s widow, who made a public appearance Friday and vowed that Turning Point will continue.

Cheyenne resident John Williams said he wanted to pay his respects to “someone whose morals and beliefs match with mine.”

“He was essentially killed for speaking, and that kind of violence needs to stop and it shouldn’t exist in our country,” Williams said. “We have that right to speak our opinions and differ on our opinions and no one needs to die for that.”

Williams added that even those cheering Kirk’s death should feel free to do so because it is their right as an American.

“As long as people keep it peaceful and respectful of each other, they have that right,” he added. “We don’t all have to agree.”

Capitol Clouds

Against the backdrop of the Capitol, speakers addressed the crowd with messages of peace, faith and love.

They encouraged those gathered to treat others with respect and compassion and to remain defiant against those who seek to silence their beliefs.

Many wore Kirk shirts, while some carried American flags. Attendees held candles, which they used to pass the flame around the crowd.

Several vehicles passing by on West 24th Street honked their support for those at the vigil. 

The mood was somber, topped off by slow, gray clouds rolling in and a half-mast flag flying over the Capitol. To complete the scene, rain sprinkled down over the vigil as one member led the group in a chorus of “Amazing Grace.”

On a bench by the sidewalk, two attendees held a banner reading “pray for America,” which depicted images of Jesus Christ and Our Lady of Fátima. Others placed a black-and-white image of Kirk on the bench, a makeshift shrine where people left flowers and miniature flags.

Wyoming Responds

Kirk’s sudden death continues to impact the Cowboy State as residents come to terms with the tragedy.

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus on Friday called out the University of Wyoming student newspaper The Branding Iron for an anonymous quote in a story that said Charlie Kirk “deserved” to be shot.

The university issued a statement to Cowboy State Daily about the inflammatory quote and UW's commitment to "respectful dialogue."

"Deeply inappropriate remarks made on various platforms in response to the murder of Charlie Kirk are reprehensible and do not reflect the university's values and principles," the statement says. "Our commitment to respectful dialogue compels the University of Wyoming to condemn any and all expressions that endorse, glorify or celebrate political violence."

The university also says it values the First Amendment and what it stands for.

"We also stand firmly on the principles of the U.S. Constitution, including the protection of free speech," the statement says. "That right does not extend to speech that directly incites violence, and we will take appropriate action for speech that constitutes a genuine threat that is not protected by the Constitution.

"At the same time, the First Amendment allows expression that is so reprehensible that it must be answered. ... Endorsement or glorification of political violence, such as the murder of Charlie Kirk, is an example of such reprehensible speech."

The university's statement also challenged people "to stop and consider our core values of mutual respect, integrity and personal responsibility" and that "our foremost priority remains the safety and well-being of our community."

Jackson Walker can be reached at walker@cowboystatedaily.com.