Charlie Kirk’s death prompts outpouring of shock, grief and condemnations of political violence

Washington – The best Republicans and Democrats have largely merged to cry the conservative activist Charlie Kirk and condemn politically motivated violence after being killed on Wednesday during a USA Turning Point event at the University of Utah Valley.

Calling Kirk “brilliant, and even legendary”, President Donald Trump announced his death on Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon.

“No one understood or had the hearts of young people from America better than Charlie,” wrote Trump. “He was loved and admired by all.”

The managers of the White House were nestled earlier in the afternoon when they were trying to obtain more information on the shooting and the state of Kirk, a feeling of shock impregnated a building where Kirk, 31, was very respected and considered a strong ally of Trump. At least one explanative could be heard while civil servants closed the door of the room where they gathered.

After the announcement of the death of Kirk, flags above the White House were lowered to a half-person. Eric Trump, the president’s son, also said that flags would be controlled in half of Trump’s properties.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, Democrat and Trump’s frequent critic, who welcomed Kirk on his podcast this year, has criticized the shooting on X shortly after his presence.

“The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile and reprehensible,” wrote Newsom. “In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in each form.”

Kirk, who co -founded Turning Point, who organizes and mobilizes young conservative activists, died after being transported urgently to the hospital. He had spoken of mass shooting incidents involving trans people when he was shot in the neck. The horrible video of the attack quickly proliferated on social networks.

While some politicians have used the shooting to assert political points – including the Republicans accusing liberals of encouraging violence with rhetoric and democrats pleading for more stringent regulations on firearms – the most glued to more unifying messages offering prayers for Kirk and his family, condemnations of violence or the two.

Vice-president JD Vance published a prayer on X: “Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord”. In a previous message, sent shortly after Kirk was shot dead, he congratulated Kirk for initiating an open conversation with allies and criticism.

“If you really look at the events of Charlie – as opposed to false summaries – they are one of the rare places with an open and honest dialogue between the left and the right,” wrote Vance. “He would answer any question and speak to everyone.”

Donald Trump Jr. published a long sincere message on X, saying that Kirk “was like a little brother for me”.

“Moments like this remind us how fragile life is,” he wrote. “We can’t wait to tell people how much they mean for us – we cannot admire them in silence. Charlie knew he was loved, but I want to repeat it: it was a brother for me, and I will wear that with me forever.”

Former vice-president Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate of 2024 to the presidency, wrote on X: “I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah. Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family.

“Let me be clear: political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we must all work together to make sure that this does not lead to more violence,” she added.

The next day, he was not clear who shot Kirk. But some elected officials and eminent personalities quickly pointed out and tried to score political points.

“Conservative, liberal, whatever you are, you should not be turned for your beliefs,” said representative Nancy Mace, RS.C., at NBC News. “And I hope that each Democrat across the country will rise and recognize that they have a problem within their party.”

Mace rejected the idea that the Republicans could also be responsible for the murder of the minnesota state representative, Melissa Hortman, Democrat, in June.

“Some unleashed left madmen have shot through [Kirk’s] neck, and you mean the Republicans right now? “She said.” No. No not at all. No, it’s on – Democrats have this. “”

Likewise, representative Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., Who credited Kirk for having engaged in politics, blamed the progressives and the media for his death.

“Each fucking you who called us fascists did this,” she wrote on X. “You were too busy doping children, cutting their genitals, encouraging racial violence by supporting organizations that exploit minorities, protecting criminals and moving from hatred. You are the hatred that you are pretending to be. caused this. ”

Billionaire Elon Musk, former Trump administration manager and owner of X, wrote: “The left is the murder party”. He published the message before the confirmation of Kirk’s death.

Some leading Democrats have denounced armed violence in the hours that followed the Kirk shooting, amplifying their point of view for a long time that firearms should be more regulated, while others have remained far from political and political declarations.

“To condemn another absolutely shameful act of armed violence,” wrote representative Jamie Raskin, D-MD., On X. “My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family in this terrible moment and we are all grateful for the first stakeholders who immediately jumped in action.”

Likewise, former representative Gabby Giffords, D-Arizona, who survived an assassination attempt over ten years ago and who heads an eponymous non-profit organization dedicated to the end of armed violence, stressed that the figures on the left and the right have been shot this year.

“This summer, America has seen multiple politically motivated assassinations – first of a democratic legislator, now a republican activist – because dangerous people have turned to firearms to express their disagreements,” Giffords said in a statement. “The two parties have been targeted, and the two parties share a moral and patriotic duty to take significant measures to prevent the crime of firearms from making more lives.”

Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024 after a sniper’s ball struck him in his ear. In a separate incident, a man accused of having tried to assassinate him in one of his golf clubs in September 2024, was tried in Florida.

The Republican Governor of Utah, where Kirk was killed, and the Democratic Governor of Arizona, where he lived, called, respectively, for justice and calm.

“By working with the FBI and UTAH police forces, we will translate the individual responsible for this tragedy into justice,” said Utah Spencer Cox Governor after talking to Trump.

“This tragedy does not concern what Charlie Kirk supported politically,” said Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. “This is the devastating loss of a father, a neighbor and an Arizonan who called this state at home, and whose life has been interrupted by insane violence. We must stay together to reject violence, reduce the temperature of our policy and restart ourselves to the values ​​of civility, respect and community whose American democracy needs.”