Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered all state government buildings to lower the United States and Texas flags to half-staff in memory of Charlie Kirk, following a proclamation by President Donald Trump.
Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset on Sunday, Sept. 14, according to the governor’s office.
Abbott expressed deep sorrow over Kirk’s assassination, stating:
“Cecilia and I are heartbroken by the assassination and passing of Charlie Kirk. Charlie’s voice was a beacon for millions of young Americans searching for truth, courage, and conviction. This senseless act of violence has no place in America. Our prayers are with Charlie’s family and his loved ones, especially the two young children he leaves behind. Texas stands with them in mourning and in honoring Charlie’s enduring legacy.”
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, on Dec. 22, 2024.
The conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder, Kirk, was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 10, in what the governor described as a “political assassination.”
Trump delivered a four-minute address from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening, posted to his Truth Social account, in response to the assassination of Kirk earlier that day on a college campus in Utah. He called Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom” and blamed the “radical Left” for fostering the rhetoric that led to the killing. He stated:
“Charlie was a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loved so much, the United States of America. He fought for liberty, democracy, justice and the American people. He’s a martyr for truth and freedom.”
Trump vowed to “find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity,” and condemned the demonization of conservatives in public discourse:
“It’s long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible.”
No suspect was in custody as of late Wednesday, but two people had been detained earlier in the day, according to the FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety. Investigators determined that neither of the two taken into custody had any ties to the shooting and were both later released.
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas flags at half-staff to honor Charlie Kirk after Utah shooting