NC State community holds vigil to honor Charlie Kirk: 'It's a solemn day'

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Tributes across the country continue to pour in one day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University.

Students and others from the NC State community gathered Thursday evening for a prayer vigil held by Turning Point, a conservative youth activist organization founded by Kirk.

"Yesterday was a hard day for people like me," said NC State student Molly Kraska. "You don't have to agree with him to just care about a life."

Cecilia Dean's son goes to NC State University, and said she is concerned about the frequency of deadly school shootings.

"Any type of violence is terrible," said Dean. "Students already have a lot to worry about, and for something like that to happen on campus, it just worries me."

A Fuquay-Varina mother's son is going to school right now at Utah Valley University. He immediately notified her when the campus was placed on lockdown.

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Her son did not attend Kirk's event; however, his roommate did and was there when the activist was shot.

She said she is grateful her son and his roommate were not harmed, but she's extremely saddened by what happened.

Top state leaders from both sides of the aisle addressed the political violence and Kirk's passing.

"It's a solemn day for us," said House Speaker Rep. Destin Hall. "He was an incredible advocate for the conservative cause, and what we saw in Utah is something that should never happen in this country."

"When terrorists engage in political assassinations and attempted assassinations because someone's political views are different than their own - that is the opposite of what it means to be an American," said Governor Josh Stein.

The Night of Prayer event drew a line of students and local residents and included enhanced security from campus police, including a K9 sweep before the vigil began.

ABC11 spoke with several students at the event who said Kirk inspired them to fight for the values of freedom of speech that he was advocating when the shooting took place, and said the last 24 hours have been incredibly difficult.

"I feel like some of our darkest moments in humanity are where some of our greatest ideals are born," said NC State Junior Wadeyn Norris. "I think back to Medgar Evers' quote, 'you can kill a man but you can't kill an idea.' I feel like we all need to pick up the torch and be the torchbearers for Charlie's movement."

The North Carolina Young Republicans and Young Democrats released a joint statement on Thursday disavowing political violence in all forms, saying in part:

"Before we are republicans or democrats, we are neighbors, friends, and Americans. Each of us has a say in the world we're building together. People shouldn't feel intimidated out of our political process."

Students at the vigil told ABC11 they believe that Kirk's death will inspire a new generation to become active in politics.