"Attack on our democracy": Kirk killing condemned by Nevada officials of both political parties

Well-wishers pay their respects at a makeshift memorial at the national headquarters of Turning Point USA shown after the shooting death of Charlie Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the organization, during a Utah college event Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Phoenix. Photo by: Ross D. Franklin / AP

Elected officials from across Nevada on Wednesday condemned the killing of conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was shot while speaking at a college campus in Utah this morning.

Gov. Joe Lombardo called the attack “sickening “ on social media, writing that there’s no place in American politics for violence. After Kirk’s death was announced, Lombardo added that he and his wife were “deeply saddened” by the news.

“Charlie inspired millions of young Americans, and his impact will undoubtedly continue for generations,” the Republican governor wrote on X. “Please join us in praying for his wife and young children.”

Nevada’s Congressional delegation put out similar statements, with U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., calling political violence “an attack on our democracy.”

State lawmakers from across the aisle also weighed in. Sen. Carrie Buck, R-Henderson, posted online that she was “heartbroken” over Kirk’s murder.

“He was a husband, a father, a patriot, and a leader who inspired many. My prayers are with (Kirk’s wife) Erika, their children, and the entire TPUSA family,” Buck wrote on X. “We will honor his legacy by continuing the fight for faith, family, and freedom.”

The advocacy arm of Kirk’s organization, Turning Point Action, played an active role in the GOP’s successful effort to flip Nevada red for the 2024 presidential election. Kirk hosted President Donald Trump at a Turning Point rally at UNLV in October.

Assemblymember Jill Dickman, R-Washoe, praised Kirk’s political work, saying he “was reaching and motivating young people by the thousands, after decades of leftist indoctrination, getting them to actually think.”

While there’s still little information about the shooter, Dickman wrote that his influence meant “he had to be stopped at any cost.”

“Charlie has been a tireless advocate for free speech, conservative values, and the next generation of American leadership,” Assemblymember Danielle Gallant, R-Laughlin, wrote. “We must stand united—Republicans and Democrats alike—in defending civil discourse and the rule of law.”

Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno, D-North Las Vegas, called Wednesday’s shootings in Utah and Colorado — which ABC News reported left at least four high school students, including the alleged shooter, injured — “horrific.”

“My heart goes out to Charlie Kirk’s family, our students, and anyone impacted by the tragedies we’ve seen across the west,” Monroe-Moreno wrote on social media.

Assemblymember Cecelia González, D-Las Vegas, also reposted an X user saying that, while Democrats had condemned Kirk’s murder, Republicans didn’t do the same for former Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman.

In June, a man disguised as a police officer killed Hortman and her husband, also attempting to murder Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman earlier that morning.

“No one deserves what happened to Charlie Kirk today,” wrote Assemblymember Joe Dalia, D-Henderson. “We are a nation of laws and free speech. Events like this tear away at the fabric of who we are. We can and must be better than this.”