Charlie Kirk (Credit: Turning Point USA's web site)
In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Pennsylvania elected leaders from both parties issued swift public statements condemning the violence.
Governor Josh Shapiro called the attack “horrifying” and insisted political violence “cannot be allowed in our society.” Other officials - including U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, Attorney General Dave Sunday, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, and U.S. Representatives including Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan Jr., Brian Fitzpatrick, Dan Meuser, Lloyd Smucker, and John Joyce - all expressed grief, emphasized the moral imperative of prohibiting political violence, and offered prayers for Kirk’s family.
Many of the reactions stressed that regardless of political viewpoint, violence has no place in civil society. Lawmakers noted that even disagreeing with someone’s views doesn’t justify threats or mortal harm, urging that rhetoric be tempered, and focusing on unity.
These calls come amid rising concerns nationally about political polarization and extremist rhetoric fueling violence.
A story on our network website PoliticsPa underscores how this incident isn’t occurring in isolation.
Pennsylvania officials pointed out recent instances where threats or attacks targeted political or public figures, noting that political violence is increasingly seen as a national problem.
Officials are calling not only for moral clarity but also for concrete responses: from condemning inflammatory language to ensuring safety at public political events.
Read the entire PoliticsPA article here.
