NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A few hundred people showed up at Gratwick-Riverside Park in North Tonawanda to attend a vigil mourning the death of political activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk died Wednesday after being fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University.
People attending the vigil came to pray for Kirk and his family. The group also sang ‘God Bless America’ and ‘Amazing Grace’ in unison.
Following a brief service, people left candles out on steps in the park and wrote messages on poster boards brought by a Turning Point USA representative, who said she plans on bringing the messages to Kirk’s memorial service in Arizona.
Event organizer Danielle Costantino tells me she never expected this many people, but they all united around one message.
“There’s only one way to heaven, and that’s Jesus Christ. There’s no other way around it; he is the beginning, the end, forever, and that’s the message I hope people hear. That’s what Charlie [Kirk] would want people to hear,” Costantino said.
The suspect in the killing of Kirk, Tyler Robinson, was arrested late Thursday in St. George, Utah. Robinson was charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice. Officials said he is expected to appear in court for the first time virtually on Tuesday.
“Charlie [Kirk] inspired me. I have been a Christian my whole life, and seeing him debate people respectfully, left side or right side, doesn’t matter; he just wanted to unite people. It really inspired me to be bold in my faith and the things that I believe, and I just wanted the community to gather together in such a dark time,” Costantino said.
