Political violence in a polarized US is surging, with the past five years of assassinations and attempts on the lives of politicians the highest on records dating back to the 1960s, a Bloomberg Geo-Economic analysis shows.

Colleges are often the setting, and the target, of the nation’s most heated politics. Charlie Kirk’s work on campuses was one factor.

Political violence is hardly unprecedented in the United States. In fact, the country has “a long, dark history” of violence that has “struck the highest level of American politics,” said Kevin Boyle, a Northwestern University historian.

The differing reactions suggested that Kirk’s death likely will only deepen America’s yawning political divide – as two assassination attempts on Trump did last year. Almost a quarter century has passed since the nation was last unified by tragedy, following the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

Fight” has become such a political prerequisite that it seems no campaign launch video is complete without it, and candidates know activists expect to hear it.

Two Michigan lawmakers received bomb threats this week amid a rise in political violence. Both incidents occurred on Thursday. While no bombs were found and everyone is safe, it is still terrifying, especially given the current political climate.