Vigil for Charlie Kirk being planned for Fort St. John

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A group of residents is preparing to host a vigil for a political speaker who was killed last week.

Charlie Kirk, a controversial American conservative advocate and talk show host, was shot and killed at an event in Utah on September 10th. 

He was 31 years old, and is survived by his wife Erika Kirk and two children.

In the days since Kirk was killed, some residents have announced plans to host a vigil for him in Centennial Park.

Skylar Cobbett, a resident of Fort St. John, is organizing the vigil in Kirk’s memory.

Cobbett, who began following Kirk in the last year after seeing clips of his debates on social media, said she was inspired by his ability to “stay calm in the face of true rage and hate,” his efforts to have conversations with people he disagreed with and his faith in God.

“[Kirk believed] there was power in solidarity, unity and community, and I just really feel that was the most important message,” Cobbett said. “Not even anything he might have said politically, or all of his ideologies and thoughts, it was just that he truly believed we needed to be talking, and that’s how I feel.”

Kirk’s death has been divisive, with the White House lowering its flags to half-mast in his memory while other public figures noted Kirk often courted controversy. 

American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel criticized Kirk’s supporters for trying to distance themselves from his killer in the days since his passing. According to CBC, Kimmel’s comments led to his show being cancelled indefinitely.

Local politicians Bob Zimmer and Jordan Kealy also publicly mourned Kirk after his passing.

“It just really highlights this division that we’re dealing with and how toxic it’s become to our society as a whole,” Cobbett said. “Everybody is experiencing some kind of pain or backlash, whether it’s through online bullying or physical, everybody seems to be going after each other right now with no intent to learn from one another.”

The vigil is reportedly held in Centennial Park at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 19th. Cobbett expects the event to last at least two hours, although she’s unsure exactly how many people will be attending. She also said the vigil will be family-friendly for anyone interested in bringing their children.

“It’s not political. I was talking to [a local pastor], and our message, strongly, is towards God and faith and community,” Cobbett said.

“What happened was wrong. There’s no other words to describe it, it was wrong. There should never be a risk of somebody’s life for speaking their truth, and that’s where this division lies.”