A prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk will be held in downtown Ocala this weekend, a week after demonstrators gathered to memorialize the activist who was assassinated last week.
The prayer vigil will be held at the Historic Downtown Square (1 Downtown SQ) in Ocala on Saturday, September 20, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The vigil will be held one day before a national memorial that will be held in Glendale, Arizona, to honor Kirk. That event will feature remarks from both President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Kirk was shot and killed during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday, September 10. A husband and father of two, Kirk’s wife, Erika, and young children were in attendance at the event where he was fatally shot.
During a separate demonstration at the same location for Kirk last weekend, gatherers shared statements and offered prayers for Kirk and his family. Several individuals brought signs with phrases including “I am Charlie Kirk,” “We Remember Charlie Kirk,” and “Never Forget Charlie Kirk.”
Known for visiting college campuses and engaging in debates with students on a variety of political and religious topics, Kirk’s death has sparked a cavalcade of reactions from individuals on both sides of the political aisle.
Last week it was reported that Turning Point USA, which Kirk founded in 2012 to advocate for conservative politics on high school, college, and university campuses, has seen a dramatic rise in chapter requests since his passing. According to his widow, Erika, the group has received thousands of chapter requests in the past week.
“Charlie was a servant of the Lord, a devoted husband to Erika, a loving father to two beautiful children, and a leader of uncommon clarity and strength. He did not seek influence for its own sake. Instead, he poured his life into others, raising up a generation who would be bold in their faith, steadfast in their love of freedom, and unafraid to defend their country,” reads a statement from the nonprofit’s website.
There is currently one chapter of Kirk’s Turning Point USA established in Marion County (North Marion High School).
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