MANASSAS, Va. – More than 200 people filled Harris Pavilion on Sunday night for a candlelight vigil honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed earlier this week in Utah.
The vigil began at 7:30 p.m. at the LOVE sign in downtown Manassas and lasted about 20 minutes. City resident Bill Billard, who initiated the gathering, stood before the crowd and urged people to pray and remember Kirk for bringing people together.
Billard said he was surprised by the turnout in Northern Virginia. “Charlie spoke the truth that made people mad, and he paid … the sacrifice of Christ for him,” he told attendees, drawing a parallel between Kirk’s death and the suffering of Jesus. He encouraged people to “carry on the fight” and not be afraid to speak out.
Kirk, 31, was the founder of Turning Point USA and a well-known conservative media personality. On Sept. 10, 2025, he was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, and later died at a hospital. Federal authorities have charged a 22-year-old suspect in the killing.
Kirk’s death has drawn national attention and prompted vigils across the country. Sunday’s gathering in Manassas was one of several held in his memory.
