photo by: Shelley Hanson

West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner speaks during the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce’s State of Marshall County Breakfast on Thursday at Grand Vue Park.

MOUNDSVILLE — West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner condemned the actions of a shooter who killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday in Utah.

Warner, who was the featured speaker Thursday at the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce’s State of Marshall County Breakfast, made his comments at the beginning of his speech at the event held at Grand Vue Park.

“As your chief elections officer, I’ve been tasked by the people of West Virginia to keep our elections safe and secure, fair and honest,” he said.

“That happens when each voter’s opinion counts the same as every other voter. Bringing violence against another American just because you disagree with their opinion is not only a crime against that person, but is an affront to each and every American citizen.

“Because now it doesn’t matter if you agree with Charlie Kirk or not. His life was taken from him and all Americans by a single deranged killer. So please, for the love of God, use your vote, not your violence.”

Kirk was shot to death during a rally at a Utah college. As of Thursday, the shooter remained at large.

Warner also talked about the development and business success happening in Marshall County. He said the county and Northern Panhandle in general are “rich with industrial heritage, resilient communities and promising opportunities.”

Warner said that, before becoming secretary of state, he served as the state economic development director under then-Gov. Jim Justice. He helped oversee the disbursement of $2 billion in federal and state funding in the public and private sectors.

“Marshall County really does stand out as a powerhouse in West Virginia’s economy,” Warner said. “In the Federal Reserve’s annual report, released in December of last year, the annual (gross domestic product) of Marshall County is approximately $2.8 billion. That’s twice what it was in 2004.”

He noted about 78% of that GDP can be attributed to goods-producing industries in the county.

“That’s more than double the state average,” he said. “In addition to energy, the county has a significant presence in health care, retail and education.”

He added that healthcare alone accounts for more than 17% of the workforce. Having a diverse cross section of industries is “vital to the county’s stability and long-term growth,” he said.

“Across the Northern Panhandle, economic development is gaining momentum,” Warner said. “The region benefits from its strategic tri-state location.”

Warner said one of his duties as secretary of state is to serve as the state’s chief business officer.

“It’s my responsibility to make it easy to start a new business in West Virginia and then to provide the support for business owners and entrepreneurs to help ensure their growth,” he said.

Following the breakfast, Warner was scheduled to then travel to Cameron High School to visit the students there and see their voter registration efforts. Other speakers during the breakfast included Tony Martinelli, president and CEO of WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital; Shelby Haines, superintendent of Marshall County Schools; Scott Varner, president of the Marshall County Commission; Josh Jefferson, executive director of RED; and Scott Reager, executive director of the chamber.