Former FBI Agent Shares Concerns following Charlie Kirk’s Death
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The sniper shooting that killed Turning Point USA founder and conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, 31, has local repercussions.
Kirk, who had previously spoken at UCSB, debated young adults across the world.
Young conservative Charles DiMauro met him several times along the coast.
“We have talked a few times, met a few times — great, amazing person. He stood up for God, Jesus Christ, our country, Donald Trump, and he went across the country trying to push the conservative movement to all the students and colleges,” said DiMauro.
He called the video of the shooting “horrible and disgusting.”
DiMauro said instead of focusing on division over guns, he would rather focus on how Charlie should be remembered and how the country should come together after losing a “great American.”
He added that a vigil for Kirk is being organized in Simi Valley, and he plans to dedicate a car rally to Kirk along the Pacific Coast Highway near Pepperdine on Saturday.
Kirk hosted a national radio show on Camarillo-based Salem Media, which serves Christian and conservative communities.
Salem Media issued a statement that included the thoughts of CEO David Santrella.
“This assassination was not just an attack on Charlie, it was an attack on free speech and on the values Charlie championed every day,” said Santrella.
Salem Chief Strategy Officer Bradley Parscale added:
“He was part of the Salem family. His voice was fearless, unyielding, and relentless in the defense of faith and freedom.”
Another conservative speaker was scheduled to appear in Santa Barbara on Sept. 11.
The Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable featuring Ben Shapiro at the Lobero Theatre has been canceled.
The Reagan Ranch Center on State Street in Santa Barbara could not be reached for comment.
The Lobero Box Office staff said they were not involved in ticket sales and therefore did not know about refunds.
Former FBI Assistant Special Agent Tom Parker, who worked in the FBI press office when President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded, said he is used to reacting to shootings.
During the attempt on Donald Trump at a rally, Parker recalled thinking: “Here we go again.”
He said he had the same thought Wednesday when he heard about the Kirk shooting.
“This is probably going to be a loner who is either looking for some kind of glory or has some kind of real bone to pick with Mr. Kirk or his movement. In these situations, there is somebody that knows who he is and different things that he has done in terms of preparing,” said Parker.
The pattern, Parker said, goes back beyond Reagan.
“It goes back as far as Lincoln. You know, John Wilkes Booth was a loner and he had his own problems with what President Lincoln stood for. Unfortunately, it has been a repetitive thing that occurs again and again, especially in today’s political climate, which is unfortunately very polarized,” said Parker.
He said it fits a standard pattern he saw during his time in the FBI, but expressed concern that agents today are stretched thin.
“I think the disruption that is occurring within the FBI today is hurting it very badly, and it just makes fulfilling its duties much more complex and more difficult. I can’t say if that contributed to this incident, but in the long run it contributes to incidents like this. People think the FBI is in disruption — ‘I can probably get away with this,’” said Parker.
Parker urged people who see something suspicious to say something to police or authorities.
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