Lawmakers cancel outdoor events in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk shooting

Multiple lawmakers this week canceled or postponed outdoor events in the aftermath of a shooting Wednesday that killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said he is expediting a review of member security.

Kirk, who was fatally shot during a speaking engagement in Utah, was one of the most influential people on the right in recent years, particularly known for founding Turning Point USA, which has chapters at universities across the country.

Democratic Reps. Becca Balint of Vermont, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan have all canceled events recently, including a town hall scheduled for Friday, because of heightened tensions related to Kirk's death.

Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for governor, also canceled all of her in-person events for the foreseeable future, claiming she no longer feels safe, USA Today reported.

"Our lives are in danger," Mace said. "I don't feel safe walking outside right now."

The cancellations come on top of Johnson promising reporters on Thursday that congressional leadership is doing a "thorough review" of security measures for members, but said it would be impossible to provide a full security detail for all members of Congress.

"There are many security measures in place for members of Congress, at their homes, at their offices, and when they go about," he said. "But we live in a dangerous society, and it's difficult to cover even the president of the United States from every angle."

The concerns come as threats against lawmakers are on the rise. The United States Capitol Police said it is expected to work through at least 14,000 threat assessment cases involving members this year, up from 9,000 last year, per NBC News.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.