Charlie Kirk, a conservative political commentator and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was scheduled to visit Montana State University on October 7th.
I visited MSU to hear firsthand how students are reacting to the news of his passing.
“I think it’s just tragic, you know. I mean, he was kind of a big inspiration to me," said one MSU student. "Since the election, I’ve been watching him pretty consistently."
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Another student commented, “It’s pretty sad. It hit pretty hard. I feel like gun violence has gotten pretty out of control.”
Other students acknowledged the complexities of political discourse today.
“I know he is a very controversial public figure," said MSU student. "There’s a lot of people in the U.S. that don’t really agree with what he has to say, but political violence like that is just evil in any way, shape, or form.”
The tragedy has raised concerns not only about the broader issue of political violence, but also about the potential risks involved in hosting high-profile figures on college campuses.
WATCH: MSU students react to Charlie Kirk's death, plus Chief of Police talks added security measures
“I do know people who were planning on going to it, which is really scary, because if that would’ve happened here, who knows what would’ve happened to them.”
I also spoke with MSU’s Chief of Police, Micheal Stanley, to hear what steps the university is taking to ensure safety during future campus visits from high-profile speakers.
"These politically charged gatherings are difficult, they create a lot of challenges for us," said Stanley. "Historically, we've had no problem overcoming that."
Stanley added that MSU will look at future events and visits more critically now.
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