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Oregon's football coach Dan Lanning gave a powerful speech on the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Saturday, insisting America can learn a lot from his team.
Lanning, 39, offered his condolences to Kirk's wife Erika and their two children after the Ducks' 34-14 win over Northwestern.
But he then explained how America 'can learn a lot' from the culture he's helped build inside the Oregon locker room. Lanning also revealed he'd recently learned that Kirk was a fan of his team.
He said: 'You walk in that locker room, you've got guys of different races, guys of different backgrounds, different religions, and you got a team that loves each other.
'Tons of differences. Where they come from, what they deal with, and ultimately you've got a team that loves each other, and I think we're missing some of that in our country.'
Lanning, a vocal critic of gun violence, then called Kirk's assassination 'evil' that 'should never exist' in America.
Oregon's football coach Dan Lanning has insisted America can learn a lot from his Ducks team
Charlie Kirk is pictured speaking to students in Utah moments before he was shot in the neck
He continued: 'I hurt for his wife, Erika, and their kids. That sort of evil should never exist in our country, and that's what it is - evil.
'I remember having to explain that to my family, right? I remember sitting down with my kids and explaining what happened, and they're talking about people talking about it at school. And it's just sad, right?
'But it's just as sad - every day it seems like we deal with some sort of violence that's going on in our country, whether it's school kids in Colorado or kids in Minnesota at churches.
'I mean, life matters, and I think we've lost sight of that. But I just wish the world could learn a little bit of something from our locker room, because we've got a bunch of people with differences, and what you've got in there is a bunch people there.'
Authorities are still trying to learn more about what motivated the fatal shooting of Kirk at a college in Utah on Wednesday, as the conservative activist's family plans a memorial next week to his life and legacy.
Tyler James Robinson, 22, of Washington, Utah, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder and other felony offenses. Prosecutors are drawing up formal charges that could be filed early next week, when he will make his first court appearance.
Investigators have spoken to Robinson's relatives and carried out a search warrant at his family's home in Washington, about 240 miles southwest of Utah Valley University, where the shooting took place.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said family members told authorities that Robinson 'had become more political in recent years.' They recounted to authorities a dinner table conversation in which he mentioned Kirk's upcoming visit to Utah Valley University and they discussed whether the activist was spreading hate.
Lanning, 39, called Kirk's assassination in Utah 'evil' that 'should never exist' in America
State records show Robinson is registered to vote but not affiliated with a political party and is listed as inactive, meaning he did not vote in the two most recent general elections. His parents are registered Republicans.
Ammunition found with the weapon used to kill Kirk was engraved with taunting, anti-fascist and meme-culture messages. One bullet casing had the message, 'Hey, fascist! Catch!' Cox said.
Robinson mocked the manhunt for the gunman and taunted the FBI's investigation while joking about obtaining reward money before eventually surrendering to police, according to messages obtained by The New York Times.
He showed no sign of remorse in screenshots of the Discord chat shared by a former high school classmate.
In fact, Robinson appeared to revel in the attention, exchanging meme-laced jabs with acquaintances while authorities scrambled to find the person responsible.
'Tyler killed Charlie!!!!' one user wrote in a group chat on Thursday afternoon, jokingly tagging Robinson.
Robinson fired back almost instantly: 'My doppelganger's trying to get me in trouble,' he wrote.
The gallows humor was delivered just hours after the FBI had released surveillance stills showing a young man in sunglasses and a cap, walking through a stairwell at Utah Valley University where Kirk had been speaking.
Tyler James Robinson was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder and other offenses
Turning Point USA, Kirk's conservative organization, will hold a memorial for him Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix, where the Arizona Cardinals play.
Kirk's casket arrived Thursday in his home state aboard Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance.
His widow, Erika Kirk, vowed to continue his campus tour and his radio and podcast shows.
'To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,' she said Friday in a livestreamed video. 'It won´t. I refuse to let that happen.'
