Vigil for slain activist Charlie Kirk held in Calgary

There was a large gathering of supporters at Calgary city hall on Sunday in the wake of the assassination of Christian activist Charlie Kirk.

Hundreds gathered at Calgary city hall to pay tribute to political activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday.

The vigil was among numerous tributes that brought people together in prayer and song, as they remembered the 31-year-old ‘Turning Point USA’ founder, who was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University.

Attendees held candles and signs that read, ‘This is our turning point’ and some thanked Kirk for helping them find Jesus.

The Calgary Police Service was present to manage traffic and ensure safety, however the event went on without incident.

Similar vigils were also held in Edmonton and Red Deer.

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Kirk founded Turning Point USA to bring more young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics as effective activists, and he was a confidant of President Donald Trump.

The 31-year-old father of two became prominent in part through his speaking tours.

Plans for a massive memorial are underway for next Sunday at Arizona State Farm Stadium, it is expected to draw thousands, including U.S. President Donald Trump.

Motive in Kirk shooting is not yet certain

Charges are expected to be filed Tuesday against the alleged shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Family and friends of Robinson described his politics as veering left in recent years as he spent large amounts of time scrolling the “dark corners of the internet,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday.

Investigators were still piecing together information about the suspect, Tyler Robinson, and not yet ready to discuss a potential motive. But Cox noted that Robinson, who is not cooperating with law enforcement, disliked Kirk and may have been “radicalized” online.

“There clearly was a leftist ideology,” Cox said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” citing interviews with Robinson’s relatives and acquaintances.

He pointed to references found engraved on the ammunition used to kill Kirk, which included anti-fascist and meme-culture language. Court records show that one bullet casing had the message, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”

A Republican who has called on all partisans to tone down their rhetoric following the attack, the governor added: “I really don’t have a dog in this fight. If this was a radicalized MAGA person, I’d be saying that as well.”

Cox stressed that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack on Kirk.

The governor said more information may come out once Robinson appears in court Tuesday.

With files from the Associated Press