The Truth & Liberty Conference, which had Charlie Kirk scheduled to speak Thursday night in Woodland Park, has adjusted its plans after the political activist was fatally shot Wednesday at an event at a Utah college.

Kirk, who was the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was scheduled to speak at 7:05 p.m. Thursday on the first day of the three-day conference at Charis Bible College.

Instead, Andrew Wommack Ministries and Charis will host an event and panel of speakers honoring Kirk, according to a news release from Wommack Minstries.

“Today, the world lost a true American hero in Charlie Kirk,” Wommack Ministries stated in the release. “A fearless leader, a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, a friend to many, a father and a husband, with God’s help, Charlie changed the course of a generation. His ability to clearly and powerfully articulate truth has reignited the fires of liberty and a love of God and Country in America.”

The Truth & Liberty Conference is scheduled Thursday through Saturday with several speakers, including Detroit past Lorenzo Sewell, who spoke at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, and Rep. Jeff Crank, a Republican who represents the 5th Congressional District including Colorado Springs.

The purpose of the annual event is to educate and motivate participants to advance conservative platforms from the school board level to national offices, according to past Gazette reporting.

Kirk had visited Charis Bible College in 2024 for “Freedom Night in America” to discuss the mobilizing of students on college campuses, according to his show’s website.

Kirk was among five members appointed by President Donald Trump in March to the Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors, a congressionally directed oversight committee that monitors issues ranging from morale and discipline to curriculum financial matters.

Trump replaced five members of the board appointed by former President Joe Biden with five of his own: Dan Clark, Doug Nikolai, Dina Powell, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Kirk.

The Air Force Academy has 17 board positions, of which six are appointed by the president and 11 by leaders in Congress.

In August, Kirk called for called for accelerating the restoration of the cadet chapel because the work is expected to stretch into 2028, according to previous Gazette reporting. The renovation that started at the end of 2019 is aimed at fixing the chronic leaking that has plagued the building since the 1960s. New aluminum panels are planned to prevent leaking and eliminate the need for storm windows that were installed as a stop-gap measure after the building was completed.

Kirk raised his concern about the chapel after meeting with cadets and hearing how some are disappointed they will have attended the school for four years without ever having the opportunity to go into the building. He asked the academy’s administration to provide the board with a list of the what is needed to get the work done more quickly so they can advocate on behalf of the project.

The Truth & Liberty Conference, which had Charlie Kirk scheduled to speak Thursday night in Woodland Park, has adjusted its plans after the political activist was fatally shot Wednesday at an event at a Utah college.

Kirk, who was the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was scheduled to speak at 7:05 p.m. Thursday on the first day of the three-day conference at Charis Bible College.

Instead, Andrew Wommack Ministries and Charis will host an event and panel of speakers honoring Kirk, according to a news release from Wommack Minstries.

“Today, the world lost a true American hero in Charlie Kirk,” Wommack Ministries stated in the release. “A fearless leader, a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, a friend to many, a father and a husband, with God’s help, Charlie changed the course of a generation. His ability to clearly and powerfully articulate truth has reignited the fires of liberty and a love of God and Country in America.”

Wommack said Kirk’s time slot will be filled by a panel of other speakers from the conference to talk about the aftermath of the shooting death and “what this means,” according to a Charis social media post.

The Truth & Liberty Conference is scheduled Thursday through Saturday with several speakers, including Detroit pastor Lorenzo Sewell, who spoke at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, and Rep. Jeff Crank, a Republican who represents the 5th Congressional District including Colorado Springs.

The purpose of the annual event is to educate and motivate participants to advance conservative platforms from the school board level to national offices, according to past Gazette reporting.

Kirk had visited Charis Bible College in 2024 for “Freedom Night in America” to discuss the mobilizing of students on college campuses, according to his show’s website.

Kirk was among five members appointed by President Donald Trump in March to the Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors, a congressionally directed oversight committee that monitors issues ranging from morale and discipline to curriculum financial matters.

Trump replaced five members of the board appointed by former President Joe Biden with five of his own: Dan Clark, Doug Nikolai, Dina Powell, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Kirk.

The Air Force Academy has 17 board positions, of which six are appointed by the president and 11 by leaders in Congress.

In August, Kirk called for called for accelerating the restoration of the cadet chapel because the work is expected to stretch into 2028, according to previous Gazette reporting. The renovation that started at the end of 2019 is aimed at fixing the chronic leaking that has plagued the building since the 1960s. New aluminum panels are planned to prevent leaking and eliminate the need for storm windows that were installed as a stop-gap measure after the building was completed.

Kirk raised his concern about the chapel after meeting with cadets and hearing how some are disappointed they will have attended the school for four years without ever having the opportunity to go into the building. He asked the academy’s administration to provide the board with a list of the what is needed to get the work done more quickly so they can advocate on behalf of the project.