A month after the death of Charlie Kirk students share their thoughts on the shooting
September 10, 2025
The political divide within North America is at its highest with the left and right sides of the political spectrum seemingly always conflicting with one another. These divides are seen everywhere: within the workplace, families, friend groups, on school campuses, and especially on social media.
Instagram and TikTok act as catalysts for pushing and promoting content for both sides of the spectrum. Algorithms shove whatever an individual wants to see on their screens thus creating echo chambers and false information.
As a consequence of this growing divide and anger, on September 10, 2025 rightwing American political figure and Trump advocate, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a speaking engagement event at Utah Valley University, with 3000 people in attendance. In attendance were also Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk and children, Gigi and Mac. According to live reports from the Guardian newspaper, Kirk was hit from a shot fired from the top of a campus building 125 meters away.
Disturbing videos of Kirk being hit in the neck and then slumping in his chair were circulated on various social media platforms. Soon after his security staff whisked him away into a vehicle and was taken to a near-by hospital. Within an hour of the attack, Kirk was declared deceased by the U.S. President, Donald Trump.
In the days following the shooting, people have been speaking out about the incident. Some call for action about exercising the right to free speech and the ability to hold debates. While others, sadly, celebrate the death of a 31-year old man. There has also been an increase in discussion surrounding gun laws.
Regina Remembers
So where does Kirk’s death land within our borders? On September 16, Marlissa Butz organized a vigil for Regina community members. The event gathered some 300 people at the Saskatchewan Legislature building. This was one of many Canadian vigils held around the country in the wake of the shooting.
Butz organized the event as a way to pray for Kirk’s family. “That night [of the shooting], I couldn’t sleep, and I was just crying for his wife. I have an 18 month-old of my own, and to think about if his dad wasn’t there, and how would I explain that to him?”
Kirk’s wife spoke on a Turning Point USA broadcast that she told her daughter that Kirk was “on a work trip with Jesus to afford her blueberry budget” to explain where her father was.
Butz added that the event came together in a very short amount of time and she was not expecting the turn out that the event received. “I sent it (invite) to maybe five people. Then I went and posted around.” Just Bins Disposal also posted the event on their social media page which is followed by approximately 250,000 people between Instagram and Facebook.
Butz identified that Kirk’s killings would surely impact the next generation of young Canadians, “I think there’s always opposing views on anything in life, but I think a lot of them are going to rally together in unity, and they’re going to rally together for seeking truth.”
However, not everyone was receptive to this. During the vigil, three or four counter-protestors gathered near the Legislature. They held signs that read things like “Kirk’s ideology kills”. They did not interrupt the vigil, but they had their presence known by walking the grass beside where the vigil was set up.
That night [of the shooting], I couldn’t sleep, and I was just crying for his wife. I have an 18 month-old of my own, and to think about if his dad wasn’t there, and how would I explain that to him? – Marlissa Butz.
UofR impacts
I went around the Dr. William Riddell Centre asking students how they think Kirk’s death is impacting the Canadian political sphere and even their own personal relationships. The interviewees however requested to remain anonymous to avoid any chance of personal harm due to sharing their thoughts.
One student identified the split on the political spectrum and how they think Kirk’s death exacerbates that. “I think it just brings out how people’s biases were affected by it. Because people just have so many more feelings towards it.”
Another identified the religious riff that Kirk’s death has caused. “Seeing what he’s done for the Christian community is huge, but I can also see the other side of a lot of hurtful things he said.”
Students’ views on Gun Laws in Canada
These are all comments that I fully expected to hear from students, but there was one answer that took me by surprise.
A student expressed his concerns that Kirk’s death would tighten up gun laws in Canada but not in the U.S. “I feel like [gun laws] are almost gonna get worse in Canada. I feel like not in the US though. I feel like we’re almost gonna get stricter in Canada all of a sudden. I feel like that’s what’s gonna happen to more of us because the U.S doesn’t care personally, but with us, I just feel like we might just get more stripped.”
In Canada, in order to own a firearm, you have to follow many steps including a gun safety course with the number of courses depending on the gun type, background checks, and safety precautions for storing.
When I asked the other students if they thought that the gun laws would get stricter, they had a passionate response.
“I think there’s been enough, as somebody who’s been an avid hunter for my entire life, adheres to all the gun laws, and is a safe gun owner. All my stuff is locked up, safe at home, unloaded, ammo stored separately. If they take it as [if] we need to get our guns off the streets and if there’s something that actually gets guns off the streets and helps the legal gun owners, then great. But it’s probably just going to affect people like me.”
I never really thought that Kirk’s death might be taken as a cue to tighten our gun control. I personally thought it would change the way we see politicians engage with voters in town halls and other political events. However, in chatting with other students, some of whom I personally know, there is a growing consensus that this could become a catalyst for further gun controls in Canada.
The political divide has been more prevalent since 2016 when Donald Trump was first elected as the U.S president. The idea of left and right, liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat in the US has split friends and families. I know as I have experienced it myself.
Personally, I hope that if anything comes into our political sphere from Kirk’s death, it is room for more positive dialogue, understanding between both sides, and less conflict.
