There is outrage from lawmakers and activists across the board, who are condemning the political assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah.

This is the fourth major incident of political violence in the U.S. in the last year. Kirk was a force in President Trump's inner circle and new age conservatism.

He rose to fame as a college campus activist and started his organization Turning Point USA in the image of the Tea Party Movement.

 "I'm completely mortified that something like this could happen, I truly am. To my core I'm angry and shocked, I'm completely speechless," said New England Young Conservatives Chair Jaclyn Corriveau who met Kirk at the RNC in Milwaukee last year. "It doesn't matter where you are on the political spectrum, you have a right to express your political views in a peaceful way and that's all Charlie ever did."

Wave of political violence

Kirk's shooting comes after a wave of high-profile attacks in a charged political environment.

Last year, President Donald Trump survived two separate assassination attempts within weeks of each other while running for re-election.

This past June, Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot to death in their home in Minnesota while another state senator and his wife were almost killed.

"It's across the board, and it's not just limited to Republicans or Democrats," said Boston University Political Historian Thomas Whalen. "It's going to get worse and worse; people need to calm down here."

Whalen said the U.S. has a long history of political violence highlighted in the 1960s and 1970s, but more recently, in an increasingly polarized political environment, disagreements are being confronted with violence at alarming levels.

"Certainly, civility seems out the window and when you have a functioning democracy that is not a good thing," said Whalen. "Because people are caught in their ideological silos. And they refuse to talk to one another and when they do interact, violence can occur."

The tragedy striking a chord with young people across campuses.

"My prayers got to him and his family, and everyone involved I think no matter where you stand with politics it's not OK," said a Boston University student.

Mass. lawmakers condemn shooting  

The message from lawmakers is, even in our political differences, we must remember our humanity.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the shooting "is nothing short of horrific."       

"We just cannot be a country that turns to violence when we disagree with people. We just can't," Sen. Warren said.

Governor Maura Healey condemned the shooting, saying in statement, "Violence has no place in our politics - ever. What happened to Charlie Kirk is horrific and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms. The growth of political violence in our country must be stopped." 

Sen. Ed Markey said, "We must denounce political violence in all its forms. I condemn the shooting of Charlie Kirk. There must be no place for this heinous violence in America." 

Congresswoman Lori Trahan said the attack is "reprehensible." 

"In our country, there is no place for political violence - no matter who it targets or where it comes from," Trahan said. "We don't settle political disputes with violence. That's the promise of our democracy, and it's one we all have a responsibility to uphold. I am holding Charlie and his family in my thoughts." 

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley said, "violence is unacceptable, always." 

"Though I disagree with nearly everything he said publicly, I never lose sight of others' humanity," Pressley said. "He was someone's son. He was someone's husband. He was a father to two young children. Praying for the UVU community impacted by this horrific act of gun violence."