Sturgis-Coldwater News

State Rep. Jennifer Wortz has issued a statement following the killing of Charlie Kirk, who was shot during a speaking event in Utah. Kirk was known as a leading young conservative commentator and leaves behind his wife and two children.

Wortz described seeing a video of Kirk embracing his daughter after a Fox News segment. She said, “There’s a video floating around social media of Charlie as he wraps up a segment on Fox News. His young daughter is waiting just off set and joyfully runs into his embrace at her first opportunity. As we continue to process the heinous act of violence that stole Charlie from this earth, the thing that breaks my heart the most is knowing that young girl will never again feel a hug from her loving father.”

She continued, “This tragedy is one no one will soon forget. Only through prayer and mercy will we be able to overcome our feelings of grief in order to help craft the world Charlie so stridently was trying to create. We cannot reach that ultimate goal if we turn away from God by allowing our hearts to be consumed by hate. We must have mercy for all, most especially for the corrupted individuals choosing to celebrate this tragedy.”

Wortz also called on people to remember Kirk’s faith: “The greatest thing I can do to honor Charlie Kirk is to point you to Jesus. Let’s not just talk about how he died, but how he lived. He lived confident of who his Lord and Savior was and in the hope of eternity with him.”

She noted that lawmakers paused for prayer after hearing about the shooting: “In our state House, we paused to pray for Charlie and his family, hoping God would save his life. Charlie instead entered his heavenly home. We must remember not to let the sin of hate and anger destroy and divide us.  Let us instead seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly, and pray for God’s grace in this heartbreaking time.”