MAGA favorite Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday, less than one year after an appearance in The Villages.
Kirk, a staunch ally of President Trump and executive director of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck during an appearance at Utah Valley University.
This past Sept. 19, Kirk made an appearance at The Villages MAGA Club at Rohan Recreation Center.
During the visit, Kirk appealed to young and old alike.
Julia Temple, who was then 17 and a student at The Villages High School, had the honor of introducing Kirk. Julia, the daughter of then-state Rep. John Temple, who is the new president of Lake Sumter State College, described how Kirk motivated young people such as herself to be active in politics.
During that 2024 visit, Kirk also met 100-year-old Villager Irving Locker, who was 19 when he was part of the D-Day invasion during World War II.
Tommy Jamieson, head of The Villages MAGA Club, has fond memories of Kirk’s 2024 visit to Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
“He came to our MAGA Club meeting even though he was very busy and he had lost his voice. He was very friendly,” Jamieson said.
The 2024 presidential election was less than two months away, but Kirk boldly predicted a Trump victory. He said Trump would win on the issues of the economy and immigration. Kirk was right.
Kirk also made an appearance in 2021 at the Wildwood Community Center.