Kaitlyn Hughes & Eliyahu Gasson | news editor & editor-in-chief

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on Wednesday during a campus event at Utah Valley University.

Jackson Hoyt, a sophomore mechanical engineering major at Brigham Young University-Idaho was at Kirk’s event.

He told The Duke he was in shock when the sound of gun fire rang out. The people around him began scrambling. He said people were getting trampled, and items people left behind were scattered across the ground.

“I just watched everything go down in awe,” he said. “Nothing good is coming out of this. I hope we figure out something to do about this because it’s not helping anything, and it’s going to cause a lot of damage.”

Duquesne President Ken Gormley said in an email to The Duke that he condemned the political violence the nation witnessed Wednesday.

“A core part of my presidency has been built on promoting civil discourse and its importance — not just within out campus community but within our society more broadly,” he said. “I hope you join me in keeping Charlie Kirk and his family in our prayers, along with recent victims of political violence.”

Gormley said for those confronting difficult emotions, the staff and faculty on campus are available to give guidance and support.

Jonathan Collins, president of the Duquesne College Republicans, said the news was shocking.

“One of the big things with my new administration I’m having with the College Republicans on campus is a big push to just get rid of political violence,” he said.

Moving forward, Collins said he wants the College Republicans to host a gathering in a “free speech” setting despite conflicting viewpoints.

“I think it shows there is a need for [free speech] … This is fear. Political violence is fear,” he said. “The solution to that is to look that terrible thing that is political violence in the face and say ‘No, I am going to talk to people I disagree with, and we are going to have a civil conversation to get the best result for this country and this specific issue.’”

Riley Hunter, a Duquesne student and the president of a local chapter of Young Democrats, said that she does not condone gun violence or political violence of any kind.

“My immediate gut reaction is just sadness for his family … everyone who was there for peaceful political protest that had to witness this,” Hunter said.

There has yet to be discourse among the group members, but Hunter said they will be sending out an official message soon.

She said the group strives to encourage peaceful conversation between both sides of the political spectrum, and she said she hopes to collaborate with the College Republicans on hosting forums or guest speakers.

“I think the most important thing that any college political organizations can do right now is make sure we’re fostering healthy conversations,” Hunter said.

Kaitlyn Hughes can be reached at hughesk10@duq.edu

Eliyahu Gasson can be reached at gassone@duq.edu