(Urban Perspective) Floyd & kirk: When Violence Claims Another American Life

written by a member of the WCB

In our neighborhoods, we’ve grown too familiar with the sound of gunshots. Violence has long been a plague in urban communities across America. But when conservative activist Charlie Kirk was gunned down on September 10th at Utah Valley University, it showed once again that violence recognizes no boundaries – suburban or urban, conservative or progressive.

Parallels We Cannot Ignore

As someone who has witnessed how violence shatters lives in urban communities, the killing of Charlie Kirk resonates in unexpected ways. While Kirk – a 31-year-old conservative media figure with close ties to President Trump – moved in circles far removed from urban America, his death by gunfire connects to a shared American experience.

The scene unfolded in broad daylight. Kirk was speaking under a white gazebo to a crowd of about 3,000 people. He had just responded to a question about gun violence when a single shot rang out from a rooftop nearby. The crowd scattered in terror – a reaction all too familiar to those who’ve lived in neighborhoods where shootings are not political events, but regular occurrences.

Beyond Political Lines

In our communities, we’ve long advocated that no life should be ended by violence – regardless of who that person is or what they believe. The same protection we demand for Black lives must extend to all Americans.

The shooter, described as “college-aged” by authorities, blended into the campus environment before climbing to a rooftop position. He escaped into surrounding neighborhoods after the shooting – neighborhoods not unlike those where countless unsolved shootings have left families without justice or closure.

Urban Lens on American Violence

From our perspective in urban America, Kirk’s killing reinforces what we’ve known for generations: violence is America’s epidemic. While our communities have faced disproportionate levels of gun violence, the targeting of political figures shows how deeply this disease has penetrated American society.

FBI investigators found messages scrawled on the rifle recovered after the shooting – messages related to cultural issues. The politicization of violence is something urban communities understand all too well, having seen how violence against us is often framed through political and cultural lenses.

Moving Forward Together

As the FBI continues its manhunt, we’re reminded that no American – urban or suburban, Black or white, conservative or liberal – should live in fear of violence. The same protections we’ve demanded for George Floyd and countless others must extend to Charlie Kirk and all America.

In our urban communities, we’ve always known this truth. Now, perhaps in this moment of shared vulnerability, America will finally listen.