North Cook News

Mark Weyermuller, a Wilmette-based real estate broker and Illinois conservative activist, responded to the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, calling it a personal loss and sharply condemning what he described as politically motivated reactions from public figures.

Weyermuller called Kirk’s assassination a “wake-up call against evil” and criticized Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his response to the incident.

Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot in front of a crowd at Utah Valley University while debating students.

"I am very upset about the assassination of my friend Charlie Kirk and upset with the reaction from many including media,” Weyermuller told North Cook News.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd, who was later fired for his comments, speculated that armed conservative supporters might have been responsible.

“We don't know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration,” Dowd said.

Dowd then blamed Kirk's own rhetoric for the environment that led to his assassination.

“He's been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech,” Dowd said. “You can't stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place.”

Similarly, following the shooting, Gov. J.B. Pritzker placed much of the blame on President Donald Trump’s rhetoric, asserting that his language has emboldened extremists.

“I think there are people who are fomenting it in this country,” Pritzker said. “I think the president’s rhetoric often foments it.”

Weyermuller reserved his strongest criticism for Pritzker, whom he accused of politicizing the incident in its immediate aftermath.

Weyermuller also accused Pritzker of politicizing the incident in its immediate aftermath.

“I am especially upset with Pritzker with his statement blaming Trump and guns,” Weyermuller said. “Charlie was a great leader and a friend of mine. I attended his last three America Fests and seen him many times in the last 13 years.”

Following Kirk’s death, Weyermuller called for a more reflective national conversation.

“This is a terrible loss for America and a wake-up call against evil,” he said.

Born and raised in Arlington Heights and Prospect Heights, Kirk graduated from Wheeling High School. He launched Turning Point USA from a garage in Lemont. The organization has thousands of campus chapters and an annual budget of $92 million. Kirk was known for his connections to Illinois and President Trump. He is survived by his wife, Erika, and two young children.

U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) also responded to media and political rhetoric following Kirk’s assassination.

“I am done with the rhetoric this rotten House and corrupt media has caused,” Luna said on X.

“EVERY DAMN ONE OF YOU WHO CALLED US FASCISTS DID THIS.”

“You were too busy doping up kids, cutting off their genitals, inciting racial violence by supporting orgs that exploit minorities, protecting criminals, and stirring hate.”

“YOU ARE THE HATE you claim to fight. Your words caused this. Your hate caused this. Charlie. His family. Those kids. No one deserved this.”

At the local level, outrage has spread amid a broader wave of inflammatory and sometimes celebratory comments across social media.

See images below of Mark Weyermuller and Charlie Kirk over the years.