FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Condemnation from across the political spectrum is pouring in after the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
The 31-year-old father and co-founder of Turning Point USA was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
“Whether or not I agreed or disagreed with anything he said, he's got two kids at home that love their dad like my kids love me,” said Governor Andy Beshear when asked about Kirk during his Team Kentucky briefing Thursday. "So this is not red or blue, it’s just wrong."
“In the end, we've got to make sure we never accept what happened yesterday or the time before that,” he said, condemning the senseless act.
Beshear highlighted several of the recent targets of political violence.
“You saw the plot to kill Gretchen Whitmer, you saw the fire bombing of Josh Shapiro's house, you saw the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband, you've seen what happened to Charlie Kirk and certainly attempts on the life of the President.”
As his own profile grows, Beshear said he’s not worried about himself, but rather the direction the country is heading.
The governor said he hopes to see leaders on both sides of the aisle shut down speech that goes too far or incites violence.
“You can't fan the flames and then condemn the fire,” said Beshear.
He also reiterated his support for a Red Flag Law in Kentucky, describing it as a tool to prevent worst case scenarios.
“A Red Flag Law allows law enforcement to go to the courts when they know somebody is about to commit murder and hopefully stop it before it starts.”
In support of those mourning the loss of Kirk, Beshear mentioned his own experience with such violence when his close friend Tommy Elliott was killed in the 2023 Louisville Bank Shooting.
“I know how much it hurts, I know how angry it can make you, but anger doesn't help you heal, anger doesn't make sure that this doesn't happen in the future, and lashing out at groups of people cannot be the answer to creating a better commonwealth and better country.”
