CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Multiple vigils have been held throughout the Mountain State since right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated, but Thursday evening will likely bring out the largest crowd.
Governor Patrick Morrisey, as well as state Senator Kevan Bartlett and Delegate Jonathan Pinson, will be putting on an event outside the Capitol building. The event is called, “A Call to Courage: Honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.”
Morrisey, local pastors, evangelists, and members of Turning Point USA will be speaking. The event is open to the public and will be held on the Capitol steps facing the Kanawha River.
Pinson says this will be more than just a normal vigil.
“We want to recognize his life, but more than just memorializing his life, we want to motivate other people to live out the same testimony and the same actionable points that Charlie Kirk lived out,” Pinson said Wednesday on MetroNews Midday.
“It’s an opportunity for West Virginians to stand shoulder to shoulder and to state to the country and to the watching world that we will not be intimidated by those who would choose violence over voices or weapons over words. It is absolutely okay, in 2025 and in this America, to have an opinion and have convictions,” he continued.
Kirk was assassinated a week ago on the campus of Utah Valley University while holding a public conversation and debate in front of over 3,000 students and residents.
“That has shaken us all,” Pinson said. “It has shaken individuals who realized that their opinion is at risk.”
Pinson says Kirk was a conservative, but first and foremost, he was a Christian.
“We have a man — by his own admission — had a political view because of his biblical view and because of his convictions and his relationship with the Lord. That shaped his worldview and his political view,” Pinson said.
In Pinson’s opinion, Kirk made a lasting change because he wanted to communicate, and he allowed those opposing him to speak.
“I believe one of the reasons Charlie Kirk was so popular is because he unashamedly told the truth. He confronted tough topics, and he did so in a kindhearted way. He did so in a way that allowed him to not only articulate his position, but then encouraged others to speak their mind,” Pinson said.