OU,โ OSU Students mourn Charlie Kirk โขFollowing Shootingโฃ Death
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA – โข Students atโ the University of Oklahoma and โOklahoma State university are โexpressing grief and shock followingโ the death of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, who was fatally shot Wednesday, September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University. Vigils and tributes are being held across the country, including oneโข at OU Thursday โฃevening, as students grapple with theโข lossโค of a figure โฃwho inspired many โฃwithin the conservative โคmovement.
At theโฃ OU vigil,junior Elizabeth Ardizzone,20,described โฃherself as a proud Republican Jew from Newโฃ York. She said that while attending high school on the East Coast,โค she was always told that she would be โขvillainized if she spoke up for both her beliefs. “But watching Charlie Kirk and hearingโ the way he spoke, the way that his mind worked,โข was just amazing toโฃ me,” Ardizzone said. “I did not understand how much information someone โlike himโ could have in โhis head and just be able to articulate it so well – andโ so respectfully, too. โHe โchanged so many โpeople’sโ opinions on evenโ the โmost minute things.”
Gary barksdale, an OU math professor and faculty adviserโ to the Turning โpoint chapter, called for the studentsโ atโข the OU vigil to hold onto Kirk’s memory. “Charlieโ was โขimpactful to me in such a way because he let me know that the โขfire of patriotic devotion isโ in the heart of our youth,” Barksdale said.
Kalib โคMagana, president โฃof the OU chapter for Turning โคPoint USA,โฃ saidโ he wasโ in disbeliefโฃ when heโ heard Kirk was killed. Magana, who said he had met and gotten to know Kirk โpersonally, remembered โคhim โขas a “respectful and caring” person who was passionate about his personal beliefs, his Christian faith andโข hisโ family.
“Iโข guess the only way to โreally move on from this is, for โus as patriots, for usโ asโข the youth, to carry on what Charlie Kirk would’ve wantedโ us toโ do,” Magana said. “Right โขnow, he wouldโค wantโค us to continue on fighting for our โฃcountry, doing what’s โright, speaking the Word ofโข God,โ to ensure that our โcountry โlives on.”
Turningโฃ Point USA, founded inโค 2012,โค has become a โprominent association โin โAmerican conservativeโ politics,โข particularly among college students. Kirk,a vocal advocate for limited government,individual โliberty,and conventional values,frequently visited college campuses to speakโค and engage with โstudents.โค His death โคhas sparkedโข a national conversationโฃ about political โviolence and the safety ofโข public figures.
