Leading Republican congressmen hosted a prayer vigil on Sept. 15 in which they commemorated conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, who was recently assassinated.
Holding a candle, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) held a moment of silence before offering a prayer in the U.S. Capitol.
"We're so deeply saddened by the untimely passing of our dear friend, Charlie Kirk," Johnson said during the prayer. He added that there was a mixture of emotions that included encouragement that Kirk's voice would not be silenced.
During his opening remarks, Johnson said Kirk would not want him and others to be overcome with despair but rather to honor his memory and "expand the legacy that he left behind."
The vigil came nearly a week after Kirk, who founded Turning Points USA, was assassinated while taking questions during an event at Utah Valley University. Authorities have detained 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspected shooter.
Kirk's death has prompted an outpouring of support from leading Republicans, including President Donald Trump and cabinet secretaries. On the day of the vigil, Vice President JD Vance hosted "The Charlie Kirk Show," which Kirk hosted on a regular basis before his death.
It was one of many platforms Kirk used to advance conservative ideas. The 31-year-old was shot and killed on Sept. 10 during one of the many events he hosted on college campuses, in which he took questions and discussed various topics with attendees.
"The assassination of Charlie Kirk wasn't just an attack on one individual," House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said.
"It was an attack on the traditional values that make our country—this great country—great: values of free speech, civil discourse, public debate, the ability to think independently and voice your opinions, exchange ideas, and even disagree with one another but to do so without fear of physical retribution."
He added that Kirk created a movement that put those values into practice. Emmer then expressed concern about the future of the country.
"The fact that he got killed for it, and many Americans consequently celebrated his murder, begs the question: How did we get so far away from the values our nation was built upon?" he said.
Emmer added that he thought Kirk's death has "providentially brought us to a turning point," prompting what he described as a choice between the path of reckless, vitriolic hate, or the legacy of Kirk's advocacy for non-violence and free speech.
Like Emmer, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) remarked on Kirk's interest in free speech.
"Not only did he inspire my daughter, but he showed a lot of young Americans that love of country and faith and freedom; those are all values that are worth fighting for," she said.
"His example calls us to stand tall for the values that [have] built this Republic—the freedom of thought, of speech, and of religion."
Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.) told The Epoch Times that he "must be very naive" because he didn't think he would see people in leadership positions celebrating Kirk's death.
He said that he didn't care about a person's party affiliation, adding that "we can disagree without being disagreeable."
"Words are not violence," he added. "Violence is violence."
Gosar told The Epoch Times on Sept. 15 that he hadn't heard anything from leadership on whether the committee would soon move forward. "I hope it does," he said. Kirk, Gosar said, had a "life well-lived."
Mace told reporters it was a "terrifying time" and that her family was receiving death threats. She added that she had started conversations with leadership about security for members of Congress and that she was taking extra measures.
"Everything in our lives has changed dramatically over the last five days," she said.
Bullet casings from the rifle allegedly fired by Robinson were engraved with messages, according to authorities. A fired casing read, “Notices bulges OwO what’s this?” The meme is used in online trolling, as well as in the online “furries” subculture.
Other rounds discovered include one that was engraved with lyrics from an Italian anti-fascist anthem, “Bella Ciao.” Another read, “hey fascist! catch!” It was also etched with a symbol apparently taken from the video game “Helldivers 2.”
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has said the agency is looking into potential accomplices.