Thousands Rally at MSU Memorial Event for Assassinated Conservative Leader Charlie Kirk

BOZEMAN — Nearly 4,000 people filled Montana State University’s arena Tuesday evening for a memorial event honoring Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder who was assassinated at Utah Valley University last month, according to the organization.

The crowd chanted “Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!” as speakers including Governor Greg Gianforte and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy addressed what became one of the largest political events in recent MSU history. The Governor’s Office reported 2,800 MSU students attended along with “several hundred” community members, while TPUSA Chief of Staff Mike McCoy posted on social media that the event drew “almost 4,000 people.”

The October 7 event was originally planned as part of Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour” before his September 10 assassination by sniper Tyler James Robinson at Utah Valley University.

Governor Calls for Unity Through Faith

Opening the memorial with prayer, Gianforte asked for divine comfort for Kirk’s family and called for the tragedy to become “a turning point for our nation.”

“Lord, we are thankful for each and every soul that is here tonight and those that are joining us online as we gather to celebrate and continue the great work of Your servant Charlie,” Gianforte prayed. “We pray tonight that this tragedy could truly be a Turning Point for our nation. Turn us away from divisiveness, separation and violence, and toward engagement, respectful dialogue, and reconciliation.”

The governor, who knew Kirk personally for 13 years, outlined four ways Montanans can continue TPUSA’s mission: pursue faith in God, seek truth through research and reading, get married and raise a family, and treat others with respect while engaging in dialogue through disagreement.

“The Word is clear, it says all things work together for good. Even tragic, evil things,” Gianforte said, referencing Romans 8:28. “God promises to use them for his Glory and our good. He is doing that with Charlie’s tragic death. But the baton has been passed to us now. It is our obligation to pick it up and carry it forward.”

Ramaswamy Calls for Movement Evolution

Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump’s endorsed candidate for Ohio governor, delivered the keynote address calling for conservatives to mature beyond partisan combat toward taking “responsibility for saving our country.”

“We don’t care about owning the libs, not anymore. We care about owning responsibility for saving our country,” Ramaswamy told the crowd. “It is not just about what we stand against, but what we actually stand for: Individual, family, nation, and God beats race, gender, sexuality, and climate. If we have the courage to stand for what is right, what is true, what it good, what is beautiful. That has always been the American way.”

Organization Reports Massive Growth

Since Kirk’s assassination, TPUSA reports over 120,000 students have requested to launch more than 37,000 new chapters nationwide. The Montana State event was the fourth stop on “This is the Turning Point Tour,” which continues Kirk’s campus visits in his memory.

Kirk, 31, first spoke publicly in Montana at Sykes Diner in Kalispell in 2014 and appeared at the University of Montana in September 2024. Montana held multiple memorial ceremonies across the state following his death, including a University of Montana vigil that drew over 500 people.

The assassin, Tyler James Robinson, surrendered the day after the shooting and faces murder charges, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty.

Security Concerns Following Campus Violence

The MSU event’s success contrasted sharply with the security failure at Utah Valley University, where Robinson shot Kirk from a campus building rooftop during an open-air speaking event. Kirk’s assassination followed a series of political violence incidents, including shootings of Minnesota legislators and assassination attempts on former President Trump.

“When you stop talking is when the violence starts,” was one of Kirk’s frequent talking points about maintaining political dialogue. The conservative activist founded TPUSA in 2012 to promote fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government on college campuses.

The organization now operates chapters at over 3,500 campuses nationwide and reported significant growth following Kirk’s death as students sought to continue his mission of campus political engagement.