Riley Gaines has made her feelings known about the assassination of the activist, Charlie Kirk, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Kirk was shot at the Utah Valley University campus, while he was speaking to the crowd during an outdoor event, which was a part of his organization's 'The American Comeback Tour.'Reportedly, the shooter is at large, and the manhunt is still in progress. Shortly after this incident, former swimmer Gaines opened up about it in a conversation with Fox News.Mourning the death of her close friend, Kirk, and expressing her dismay at people taking drastic measures over political disagreement, Gaines said:"Our society is so, so sick. The truth is hated. How do you possibly coexist with people who genuinely want to kill you for disagreeing with them? And that's exactly, let's be very clear, that's exactly what has happened to Charlie Kirk. They killed a man, a 31 year old father of two, because they disagreed with him politically," said Riley Gaines.Adding to this, Gaines addressed the rising "evil" in society by mentioning the incident that took place with the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, who was killed in North Carolina. She was stabbed on a train on August 22, 2025, by Decarlos Brown, who has now been charged with murder. Reflecting on that incident and opening up about what Kirk meant to her, Gaines added:"I'm pretty shaken, to be honest with you these past few days. I mean, just the the sheer weight of evil has been so heavy across this nation, whether it was the story coming from North Carolina of the beautiful, young, innocent Ukrainian refugee who had her life taken from her at the hands of a monster."That in particular left me feeling uneasy. There was nothing she could have done to prevent that situation. And now to see this, a dear friend, a mentor, the best activist that we had, I mean that actually either side had. Charlie has the work ethic of no one I have ever met in my life."In this conversation, Riley Gaines also shared that if she weren't 39 weeks pregnant, she would have also been at the University of Utah with Kirk. Along with this, she also spoke about the bond she shared with the 31-year-old's wife.Riley Gaines lauds the Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, for expressing thoughts after Charlie Kirk's passingShortly after Charlie Kirk was killed, the Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, appeared at a press conference, where he shared a message about the incident. Calling it a political assassination, he said:"This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation. I want to be clear that this is a political assassination," Cox said.Impressed with the governor's speech, Gaines took to X and penned a note that read:"Fantastic words from @GovCox at this press conference," said Riley Gaines.Riley Gaines @Riley_Gaines_LINKFantastic words from @GovCox at this press conferenceRiley Gaines also weighed in on women's safety after the terrifying stabbing attack on the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee.