Connecticut politicians Wednesday condemned the killing of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and died Wednesday at a Utah college event in an act that the state’s governor called a “political assassination.”
“Political violence of any kind has no place in our country—none. My thoughts are with Charlie Kirk’s loved ones & the students of Utah Valley,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Charlie Kirk hands out hats before speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)
House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said, “Charlie Kirk was a passionate patriot who courageously articulated his beliefs and worked tirelessly to change hearts and minds through words and ideas.
“His assassination is shocking, depressing, and deeply frightening. I had thought the assassination attempt on President Trump represented the low point of American political violence in my lifetime, but tragically, this senseless killing of a man dedicated to thoughtful discourse has taken us even lower,” he said in a statement. “I pray for Charlie, his family, and frankly our entire nation, which desperately needs a change in direction to prevent these horrific acts of violence from happening again.”
Politicians who have experienced violence react to Charlie Kirk shooting
U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, D-1, said, “I send my deepest condolences to Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones as they mourn this loss.
“We all stand with law enforcement in Utah as they work to swiftly bring the perpetrator to justice. The scourge of gun violence taking place across our nation every day as we speak is chilling and should disturb every American,” Larson said. “Charlie Kirk’s death today is a solemn reminder of the prevalence of gun violence and is a devastating instance of political violence – something we must never accept in the United States of America. No matter our politics or disagreements, there is no place for violence. We resolve our differences at the ballot box.”
Charlie Kirk, 31, helped build support for Trump among young people
A “person of interest” was in custody Wednesday evening, said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, though no charges were immediately announced.
“This is a dark day for our state,” Cox said, calling the killing a “political assassination.”
“We are actively looking for anyone and everyone who has any information related to the shooting,” he said.
His shooting was one of an escalating number of attacks on political figures, from the assassination of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota to last summer’s shooting of Trump, that have roiled the nation.
Connecticut state Senator Herron Keyon Gaston, D-Bridgeport, chairman of the Public Safety & Security Committee, said, “Let us denounce violence and evil in all their forms. We must remember that disagreement does not have to lead to division. It is possible, and necessary, to stand firm in our convictions while still respecting others.
“Every person, regardless of political party, ideology, race, or background, is made in the precious image of God. That truth demands that we treat one another with dignity and respect. Hate only begets more hate. But love, civility, and compassion have the power to heal and unite.
FILE – Charlie Kirk speaks during a town hall meeting on March 17, 2025, in Oconomowoc, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)
“We are better than anger, better than bitterness, and better than cruelty. Our shared humanity should guide our actions and our words. Let us call each other to higher ground, not with shouts, but with grace,” he said in a statement.
“Let’s demand a return to civil discourse and be people who lead with truth and love. Because at the end of the day, embodying human dignity is not a weakness, it’s a strength.”
Utah authorities said the shooter wore dark clothing and fired from a roof on campus some distance away.
Connecticut Republican Party Chairman Ben Proto said, “We are devastated by the heartbreaking news of Charlie Kirk’s passing. Our hearts are with his wife, his two young children, and all those who knew and loved him.
“The shooting of Charlie Kirk is a shocking and cowardly act of political violence that has no place in our country. Whether we agree or disagree with someone’s views, America is built on the principles of free speech and debate, not on bullets and bloodshed.
“I, along with the entire Connecticut Republican Party, and millions of Americans, stand with Charlie and his family, and we pray… This attack is not just against one man—it is an attack on the very freedoms we all hold dear.”
“Let me be clear: violence is never the answer. The way we change the direction of our state and our nation is not through violence or intimidation, but through persuasion, organizing, and—most importantly—the ballot box.
“Democrats and Republicans alike must denounce this heinous act and recommit ourselves to civility in political discourse. We can disagree, even passionately and vociferously, without resorting to violence. America must be better than this.”
Trump said in a statement from the White House, “As a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, September 14, 2025. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad,”
