By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Popular political activist and Illinois native Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday while at a public outdoor event in Utah.

The news and video of the shooting spread online quickly. Kirk was speaking in front of at least hundreds of people at Utah Valley University for a “Prove Me Wrong” event. Video showed Kirk getting struck in the neck.

President Donald Trump posted on X, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked about the shooting at an unrelated event Wednesday, before news broke that Kirk had died.

“First, I want to express my sympathy to Charlie Kirk’s family and to Charlie Kirk, who obviously, has, you know, become a target for somebody,” Pritzker said. “I don’t know whether it’s political violence because I don’t know who did it. I know they seem to have somebody in custody, but I will say that political violence, unfortunately, has been ratcheting up in this country.”

Pritzker said political violence is not acceptable.

“We saw the shootings. The killings in Minnesota. We’ve seen other political violence, occur in other states. And I would just say, it’s got to stop,” Pritzker said. “And I think there are people who are fomenting it in this country.”

Pritzker said Trump’s rhetoric “often foments it.” Pritzker has been widely criticized for referencing Nazis several times during his budget address earlier this year and for his other anti-Trump rhetoric.

State Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, said he is devastated at the news.

“Charlie Kirk had a young family, a wife, and it looks like they’ll never see him again all because some deranged individual couldn’t have a conversation with Charlie up on stage and have a political discourse and have a productive conversation,” Niemerg told The Center Square.

To Pritzker’s reaction that included commentary about Trump and Jan. 6 defendants being pardoned, Niemerg said he’s appalled.

“Let’s not forget, and this is awful, Governor Pritzker said ‘Republicans should know no peace,’ and look at the situation that we’re in,” Niemerg said.

Niemerg said he fears for himself and his colleagues.

Kirk, 31, was born in Arlington Heights and created Turning Point USA, a popular conservative organization focused on politics at college campuses.

Illinois U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Schaumburg, released a statement and said he is horrified by the news. He said in this country, “political violence must be unacceptable in every form, and we must stand together to reject it.” The Democrat, who is running for the U.S. Senate, also said if violence replaces dialogue, none of us are safe.”