Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and political leaders from the city gathered at a press conference to speak out against political violence following the death of right-wing political figure Charlie Kirk after he was shot in Utah on Sept. 10.
Along with Dyer, Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi and Councilmember Nelson Esparza spoke, along with Fresno County Supervisors Nathan Magsig, Garry Bredefeld and Luis Chavez spoke, all detesting political violence and advocating for love, peace and tolerance.
Karbassi was the first to speak at the conference. His comments centered on his anger regarding Kirk’s fatal shooting, something he views as a threat to democracy.
“No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, no American deserves to be killed for their beliefs, their speech or even their politics,” Karbassi said. “This is not about hashtags…this is about the future of American democracy and keeping it free of the violence we saw yesterday.”
Karbassi calls on Americans everywhere to peacefully stand up to threats to democracy, saying that’s what “really matters” after events like this.
The event came one day after Kirk, founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. Federal officials are still investigating the incident. Two individuals were taken into custody but later released without charges.
Kirk was known nationally for promoting conservative values and often drew criticism for divisive rhetoric. Despite that, Fresno leaders said his death should be mourned and not used as fuel for further polarization.
Dyer emphasized that political disagreement must never escalate into physical violence.
“Charlie Kirk did not deserve to die,” Dyer said. “Yes, he was controversial and often sparked strong reactions, but violence can never be the answer. We are better than this.”
Dyer also warned of a dangerous trend on social media where political violence is celebrated rather than condemned.
“Americans will ratchet up the rhetoric on social media and become even more divided as a country,” Dyer said. “What we’re seeing online isn’t just disagreement, it’s hate and it’s only escalating.”
Supervisor Luis Chavez echoed Dyer’s concerns, referencing troubling comments posted online in the hours following Kirk’s death.
“We are now in a space where people are celebrating someone being violently murdered,” Chavez said. “That is not who we are, that is not Christian, that is not American.”
Religion, especially Christianity, featured prominently in the remarks, with leaders condemning any use of faith to justify political extremism or violence.
“Christianity teaches love, forgiveness and peace, not violence,” Esparza said. “When someone dies, especially violently, our first response should be compassion, not celebration.”
Bredefeld and Magsig also spoke, reiterating the need for tolerance and emphasizing that democratic institutions rely on the ability to engage in civil discourse without fear of retribution or harm.
Karbassi closed the press conference with a call for reflection and unity.
“We need to look inward, as Americans and as people of faith,” Karbassi said. “Political violence is a poison to democracy. We must stand up peacefully to this threat and that’s what really matters.”
