The public university which became the location of the Sept. 10, 2025, assassination of Charlie Kirk has reportedly withdrawn from a joint memorial event with the organization the late conservative political activist founded, Turning Point USA.
Utah Valley University (UVU) allegedly backed out of a Sept. 10, 2026, service planned to honor Kirk on the first anniversary of his assassination on its campus, The Cougar Chronicle reported, citing an anonymous source. The source claims Turning Point USA is seeking a new memorial location on short notice and is frustrated with the public university’s reported sudden withdrawal.
“Healing continues in different ways for each member of our university community as we approach September 10, the one-year anniversary of the tragic events surrounding Charlie Kirk’s death,” an Aug. 7 UVU email to students and employees said, The Cougar Chronicle reported. “To provide time and space for reflection, service, and connection, UVU will close operations [September 10].”
The UVU email invited the campus community to an annual Day of Caring volunteer event on Sept. 10, according to an Instagram post by the outlet.
The local nonprofit associated with the event, United Way of Utah County, describes its “corporate day of service” as an opportunity to “transform our classrooms, neighborhood parks, community gardens, and gathering places across our community,” according the organization’s website.
UVU, Turning Point USA, and Republican Utah state Sen. Dan McCay did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.
In March, UVU announced American author and podcaster Sharon McMahon as its 2026 commencement speaker, according to The Cougar Chronicle. McMahon notably criticized Charlie in an Instagram post captioned with “Charlie Kirk, In His Own Words” days after his assassination, outlet reported. The now-deleted post featured an image which read, “To many Americans – especially if you are black, LGBTQ, or Muslim – Charlie Kirk was not a person who simply engaged in good faith debates on college campuses.” McMahon was subsequently removed as the commencement speaker by the university, which cited security concerns.
“Sharon unequivocally condemned the murder of Charlie Kirk, repeatedly and publicly calling his death a tragedy and stressing that public debate must never be met with violence,” McMahon’s spokesperson told The Salt Lake Tribune. “Sharon’s goal is to unpack what is happening in society and help people understand how government works.”
The university had hosted a Sep. 19, 2025, vigil following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, though the event only mentioned Kirk once while offering abstract appeals for campus unity, The Cougar Chronicle reported. The event was secured by police and metal detectors, and speakers referred to the event as merely “the tragedy on campus.”
(DCNF)