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FOREST CITY, N.C. — More than 500 people filled POPS amphitheater on the evening of Sept. 11 for a celebration of life honoring Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist fatally shot last week while speaking in Utah. The vigil, organized in under 24 hours by Rutherford County Commissioner Hunter Haynes and supported by fellow Commissioner Donnie Haulk, featured a mix of hymns, prayers, and fiery tributes that emphasized courage, faith, and national unity.
The first half of the service was livestreamed by Tracy Bradley Tran, and the second half by me. I’ve combined both here for news and archival purposes. Tran, who granted permission for her video to be used, said she wanted a record of the gathering preserved. “Thanks for doing this. It was very powerful last night for Christians. We have to stand strong and let God shine through us all,” she said. Together, the livestreams have been viewed more than 5,000 times.
Kirk’s assassination has raised concerns about security at Utah Valley University in Orem, where about 3,000 people gathered to hear him speak. Attendees said they were able to enter without passing through checkpoints, despite being required to present scannable tickets. About 20 minutes into the event, as Kirk spoke under a tent, a gunman on a rooftop roughly 200 yards away fired a single shot that struck him in the neck. President Donald Trump announced his death hours later.
Quick planning and community support
Haynes said Forest City officials gave him the go-ahead to coordinate the vigil on short notice. “They just let me go ahead and plan it,” he said, noting that Town Manager Janet Mason approved treating it as a community event. Security was provided inside the venue by volunteers from the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, and the gathering was coordinated through Roco Relief — the nonprofit founded by Commissioner Donnie Haulk in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Haulk underscored the scale of the turnout. “Over 500 people came out tonight because of what they saw on social media yesterday,” he said. “They’re passionate about it. They’re upset by what happened with Charlie Kirk and someone just trying to have dialogue … and the evil just could not let that dialogue continue. I personally feel that what happened tonight in Forest City, North Carolina, Rutherford County, is happening all over America…and the effort the sniper had in trying to silence Charlie Kirk will be a thousand times, a million times, the opposite.”
I did not see the three other county commissioners there, Bryan King, Alan Toney and Michael Benfield.
Calls for courage and unity
State Rep. Paul Scott, addressing the crowd, warned about misplaced trust in institutions. “Government is not the answer to our problems,” he said. “Government is the problem when it tries to replace God, family, and community.” Scott is a reverend and works for the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office as their chaplain and hostage negotiator.
Adam Smith, a former Green Beret and founder of the veteran relief group Savage Freedoms, drew comparisons to national tragedies. He recalled the unity after Sept. 11, 2001, saying Kirk’s assassination should spark the same resolve. “Yesterday in so many ways felt very much like 9/11 felt to me,” Smith said. “When I watched that video over and over again, I felt the greatest demand and resolve internally to not just sit by anymore.”
The mayor of Ruth, David Guy, called Kirk “the most humble, gentle, listening person” he had met and framed his death in biblical terms. “Charlie Kirk was martyred doing what he felt God’s call on his life was,” Guy said. “The martyrdom of Charlie Kirk was designed to shut us up. Instead, it should compel us to say, ‘Here am I, Lord, send me.’” Guy also works in constituent services for Congressman Tim Moore.
A service of faith
The gathering opened with the national anthem and continued with worship songs such as “Goodness of God.” Pastors preached messages of hope, repentance, and perseverance, urging those in attendance to live boldly in their faith. Several speakers reminded mourners of Kirk’s oft-cited words from Philippians: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Many in the crowd lit candles as prayers were offered for Kirk’s wife and children. Speakers said his death was both a personal loss and a call to action for Christians across the country.
“What happened here tonight in Forest City is part of something bigger,” Haulk said. “This is just the beginning of a wave that will not be silenced.”
Investigation
At a press conference on Friday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox and FBI Director Kash Patel said 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Washington, Utah, was arrested 33 hours after the shooting. Later, the FBI said Robinson allegedly confessed to his father and to a live-in transgender partner, who police said is cooperating with investigators. Robinson remains in custody as prosecutors prepare formal charges. The governor said the investigation is ongoing. The Rutherford County vigil was held before the arrest of Robinson was announced.
This story has been updated.
