Student Faces Controversy Over Remarks on Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

A student at a small private university in St. Paul, Minnesota, was recorded by members of Turning Point USA making statements that, at times, seemed to defend and even celebrate the assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk.

According to Frontlines TPUSA, this student approached a group from Turning Point during an event on Hamline University’s campus. The confrontation began with the student asking, “Why shouldn’t we be happy about it?” in reference to Kirk’s shooting.

Following a discussion on gun control, the tone escalated. The student declared, “I’m for the Second Amendment. I’m glad Charlie Kirk got shot because he said something really stupid,” prompting members of Turning Point to challenge him on whether he ever uttered something foolish himself.

He hesitantly admitted, “Well, yes, but—” before being cut off by Turning Point members who questioned if he should also face violence for his alleged mistakes.

The student responded, clarifying, “No, well, I’m not saying we need gun violence because I didn’t call for it.” During his commentary career, Kirk maintained that school shootings, while unfortunate, don’t justify infringing on Second Amendment rights, arguing that criminals have continued access to firearms regardless.

Explaining his perspective, the student added, “What I’m trying to say is that I think it’s a good thing Charlie Kirk got shot because he did what he preached. He claimed violence was necessary and that empathy is a weakness. Why should I identify with that?” However, it’s worth noting that Kirk has stated he despises the notion of empathy being portrayed as weakness in 2022.

Continuing, the student provocatively claimed, “He was shot because he asked for it. He told me to do it. I watched the video of him being shot in the neck and applauded.” This led to a somber reply from the Turning Point member, who expressed, “That’s very sad.”

In response, the student remarked, “I don’t think that’s happened yet. I think bad people deserve to die.” The conversation briefly touched on fascism, with the instigator alleging that former President Donald Trump fits that description.

Nationally, there have been multiple instances of individuals openly celebrating or mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Just days after Kirk was killed during a daylight event at Utah Valley University, a student at Clemson University was filmed making fun of him, despite leaving behind a wife and two young children.

Simultaneously, students at Texas Tech University disrupted a vigil for Kirk, chanting phrases that mocked the tragedy, which led to one student’s expulsion.

Additionally, a Chicago public school teacher faced backlash for downplaying Kirk’s death during protests, where she was caught on video mimicking a gun with her fingers against her neck.

In response to the recent events, Hamline University released a brief statement asserting, “Hamline University does not tolerate violence in any form.”