On Wednesday, Charlie Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of conservative youth organization Turning Point USA and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed at a Utah college event. Following a day-and-a-half manhunt, police arrested a 22-year-old Utah man who indicated to a family member that he was responsible for shooting the 31-year-old activist, podcaster and Prospect Heights native.

In the wake of Kirk’s death, people across the country — and political spectrum — offered their condolences and advocated for an end to political violence, including local lawmakers, his suburban friends and family, and the president himself, who said he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In other news from around the globe, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a sexually suggestive letter Monday purportedly signed by Trump that was included in Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday album. The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Friday to support a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. And Wednesday marked the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. President Trump commemorated the date by attending a Yankees game in New York, drawing both boos and cheers from those in attendance.

Also this week, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would begin “Operation Midway Blitz,” ramping up immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago. Meanwhile, the Trump administration pulled back on its plans to send the National Guard to the city, instead deploying troops to Memphis. Gov. JB Pritzker, however, didn’t seem convinced.

But the aforementioned immigration blitz did begin with protests and untold number of arrests. On Friday, enforcement efforts took a violent turn; agents fatally shot a man in Franklin Park after he allegedly tried to flee a traffic stop and struck an officer with his vehicle. At an evening news conference, local officials and immigration rights activists called for a full investigation into the shooting.

In election news, Darren Bailey, who was the Republican Party’s unsuccessful candidate for governor in 2022, will seek the nomination again next year, hoping to attempt another challenge against Democratic Gov. Pritzker. But first, Bailey will have to take on conservative activist Ted Dabrowski in the GOP’s March primary, as he also launched his campaign for governor this week. On Wednesday, Ald. Brendan Reilly announced he’s running against incumbent Toni Preckwinkle in the Democratic primary race for Cook County Board president. Plus, Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans lost reelection this week after 24 years leading the county judiciary. Judge Charles Beach, a former trial attorney who was appointed to the bench eight years ago by the Illinois Supreme Court, will take over the office in December.

The Bears’ season started off on a sour note Monday night, losing 27-24 against the Minnesota Vikings. Coach Ben Johnson noted the team’s need to “clean up” after another disappointing opener, and now they must pivot to next week’s game versus the Detroit Lions. But there’s good with the bad for Chicago sports fans: Anthony Rizzo, the baseball All-Star, four-time Gold Glove recipient and honorary captain of the Cubs’ 2016 championship team, will retire as a Chicago Cub and join the organization as a team ambassador.

Now for the fun stuff! Think you know who said what this week? Test your knowledge with the Tribune’s Quotes of the Week quiz, with excerpts and utterances from Sept. 7 to 13.

Missed last week? You can find it here or check out our past editions of Quotes of the Week.

 

 

 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/13/quotes-quiz-for-september-13/