On Michigan college campuses and other places in the state Tuesday, people gathered to remember slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on what would have been his 32nd birthday.
Kirk was killed by a gunman while speaking on a Utah college campus last month.
“The individual that took his life thought that he was blowing out of a flame. That’s not true. He only added to the fire,” said 21-year-old James Hart at a candlelight vigil Tuesday evening in Oakland County. Hart is a member of Turning Point USA, the conservative campus organization founded by Kirk in 2012.
The Utah attorney general has said Kirk's accused killer targeted Kirk based on his political expression.
Kirk’s death has become a rallying cry for Republicans heading into next year’s midterm elections.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday posthumously awarded America's highest civilian honor to Charlie Kirk.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 for individuals making exceptional contributions “to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
Kirk's politics were often seen as divisive. Critics said he sharply criticized gay and transgender rights while inflaming racial tensions.
