One year after Charlie Kirk's death, conservative students struggle to fill void he left
One year after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, his organization Turning Point USA is struggling to maintain its momentum and internal cohesion. Students and members report a decline in the organization's impact and ongoing internal conflicts regarding its future direction.
Why it matters
It examines the challenges of organizational succession and ideological stability following the loss of a high-profile leader.
Image source, Jeb Jacobi Image caption, Jeb Jacobi witnessed Kirk's murder at Utah Valley University
Jeb Jacobi still remembers the echo of the gunshot that killed Charlie Kirk.
He was a volunteer at the Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University (UVU), where Kirk was set to engage in one of his famous live debates on 10 September last year.
But when the conservative activist collapsed, hit by a bullet fired from a sniper rifle, onlookers like Jacobi say they saw their hero become a martyr right before their eyes.
"It feels like there's a forever stain on us here," the third-year university student tells the BBC, as he reflects on the past year since Kirk's death. "This is where Charlie Kirk was killed."
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