Dave Wortman

For the third time in roughly a year, Warren’s mayor is using his platform to speak out against political violence.

Mayor Dave Wortman took time during Monday’s City Council meeting to speak out against the political assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. It was the same message Wortman gave in the aftermath of an attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in 2024 and Gov. Josh Shapiro earlier this year – it’s time to unite as Americans and end political violence.

“The statement of the similar one to the one that has been made, this is the third time now, and the title of it is we need to stand united,” Wortman said.

Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was a top podcaster, culture warrior and ally of President Donald Trump who was killed Sept. 10 by an assassin in Utah. Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of justice charges. A judge ordered that he be held without bail.

In addition to the three incidents Wortman mentioned in his remarks Monday, Vance Boelter shot and killed Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home in Brooklyn Park in June as well as shooting and wounding Mike Hoffman, another state lawmaker, and his wife at their home in Champlin.

“We must condemn, in the strongest possible manner, this assassination,” Wortman said. “Equally disturbing is the celebration of this assassination that is happening in parts of our society; we must be better than this, our Constitutional Republic and civil society demand it. Never are such actions justifiable. I spoke strongly against the assassination attempt against President Trump in Butler and then again with the attempt on Governor Shapiro’s life and his family in our Governor’s mansion. This cycle of violence must end.”

The unity Wortman seeks isn’t extending the political debate between Shapiro and Trump. On Tuesday, Shapiro said the nation’s leaders must “turn the tide” against political violence and reject vengeance, and accused President Donald Trump of failing the moment’s test of leadership. Shapiro delivered remarks as the keynote speech at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh, days after Kirk’s assassination.

Shapiro said political leaders must condemn all forms of political violence and reject the “rhetoric of vengeance.”

“It is all wrong, and it makes us all less safe. During moments like these, I believe we have a responsibility to be clear and unequivocal in calling out all forms of political violence, making clear it is all wrong,” Shapiro said. “That shouldn’t be hard to do.”

In April, Shapiro and his family fled the governor’s official residence in the middle of the night after an alleged arsonist broke in and set it on fire in an attempt to kill Shapiro. The governor, who is considered a potential White House contender in 2028’s presidential election, had been asleep with his wife, children and extended family after celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover there.

The White House responded in a statement Tuesday that Trump — as the survivor of assassination attempts and a close friend of Kirk — understands the dangers of political violence better than anyone. The White House said Trump has urged Americans to “commit themselves to the American values for which Charlie Kirk lived and died” — such as free speech and the rule of law — but that he and his administration maintain that “radical leftists” have inspired left-wing violence by calling political opponents “Nazis and Fascists.”

“It must end,” the White House said.

In his remarks, Shapiro said too many people don’t believe the government and the nation’s institutions can solve problems. Instead, they find refuge on the internet where their frustration is taken advantage of and used to foment hate, he said.

“It leads to a belief among some that the only way they can address their problems is through violence,” Shapiro said. “They find online those who glorify violence and urge it on.”

That, he said, “is dangerous for our democracy, and we need to turn the tide.”

Wortman, meanwhile, called on citizens to unite the country rather than on political leadership.

“For far too long, we have allowed few, but powerful, influences to divide us; this must also end,” Wortman said. “With strength and honor, we must encourage our fellow citizens to exercise their freedom of speech and all other Constitutional rights yet remain united as Americans.”

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.