Robert Sorrell

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. — Several hundred people gathered in front of the historic Sullivan County Courthouse on Wednesday evening for a prayer vigil honoring Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder who was fatally shot last week while speaking on a Utah college campus.

The event, organized in just three days by Sullivan County Commissioner Jessica Means, blended elements of a memorial, a worship service, a call for unity and a recognition of Constitution Day.

Families arrived early and stood shoulder to shoulder on the courthouse lawn and along State Route 126. Many wore patriotic attire and carried small American flags, while others bowed their heads in quiet reflection.

A large wooden cross, built just hours earlier by Means’ husband, stood at

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