Trevecca Students React to Charlie Kirk’s Assassination With Prayer and Reflection

by Lauren Steinbrook

News and Engagement editor

During chapel Thursday morning, University Chaplain Erik Gernand called students to a moment of silence, inviting the Trevecca community to pause and reflect on not only the 24th anniversary of Sept. 11, but also on the news of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination 

Many students came into chapel already carrying the weight of news alerts and social media reactions, some said.

“I’m just very aware this morning.  I’ve talked with several of you and just kind of been watching the news, as many of you have,” said Gernand during chapel. “Probably, your social media news feeds have been full of stories from yesterday, of shootings in different places in the country, of other acts of violence. It’s also 9/11 for us today… This day brings up lots of feelings and emotions.”

Students filled social media with posts condemning the rise of political violence in the United States and expressing sorrow over the death of Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA.

“All he was trying to do was share his First Amendment right with people and share his opinion and have as much of a civil conversation as a person could, and he was shot for what he believed,” said Lexi James, senior communications major. “ I’ve been so sick and messed up about the whole situation since Wednesday. Just to see that our country has come to this. It’s just so sad and so sickening.” 

On Fizz, an anonymous social media app popular among Trevecca students, many users shared feelings of fear and unease. Others engaged in heated debates over their political differences.

“Even though I was never really a huge fan of his and didn’t agree with everything that he said, he still fought for what was right and was a strong believer in Christ,” said James. “I’m so sick over the situation. It’s just our world is such a dark place, and for someone to shoot someone over their speaking about their own opinions and what they believe in is just wrong.”

Students across social media called for their peers to come together and support one another.

“I hope that through this situation that more people will speak up will truly speak up for what they believe, and maybe through this, more people will come to Jesus through this situation,” said James. 

Gernand encouraged students to lean into their community and into their faith. 

“In these seasons, we get invited into the opportunity to be the people of God for each other in ways that create encouragement and safety and support and shine something of the light of God’s healing presence into the world,” said Gernand. “I really feel like that’s our calling as a community, to be that sort of city on the hill as we follow Jesus together. And this is one of those opportunities.”

In light of the day’s events, Trevecca security leaders reassured students about their safety on campus. 

“Our visibility is one of the main key components,” said James Hambrick, Trevecca’s chief of security. “Because with visibility, your presence is a deterrent to people who would come and do evil. Students can come up to us and talk to us if they have any concerns.”

On Thursday, Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 reported that six campuses across the country were on lockdown in response to potential campus threats. 

Hambrick confirmed that there are no current threats to the Trevecca campus and said the university did not need to go on lockdown.

“Being that this is a Christian university, we know that evil happens, we guard ourselves through prayer,” said Hambrick.“ We pray that it won’t happen, but we try to posture ourselves to be ready in case…and try to deter anything like that from happening. Our security team went through even more training than we have in the past to make ourselves ready and to be confident in the case that something does go down.” 

Hambrick encouraged students to stay vigilant. Telling students to keep their eyes open and pay attention to their surroundings, and to report anything they may find suspicious. 

‘If you see anything that you feel was not right, then let us know. Don’t just pass it off,” said Hambrick. “Let us know so we can act on it and determine if it’s something suspicious. Let us make that determination. We can’t stress this enough. If you see something, say something and communicate that.”

Both Gernand and Hambrick emphasized that moments like this call for unity and attentiveness.

“We want our students, faculty and staff to know that we are here and doing the things we can do to be prepared,” said Hambrik

Gernand added that the community is called to shine a light during dark times.

“This is one of those opportunities to show what it means to be the people of God together,” said Gernand.

Students can call or text Trevecca security anytime at 615-624-3523, or stop by their office during the week in the basement of Tidwell.