Did Charlie Kirk 'Pay The Price' For Supporting Gun Violence? US Citizens Say, 'This Is What Happens When You Support Violence'

Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of the right-wing group Turning Point USA and a close ally of Donald Trump, was shot and killed during a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday. Kirk was addressing students on gun violence when a shot rang out. Video clips show him collapsing after being struck in the neck.

Authorities confirmed that Kirk died shortly after being rushed to the hospital. His killing has immediately set off a storm of reactions online.

Past gun rights remarks resurface

Soon after his death, old clips of Kirk resurfaced in which he argued that gun deaths were an unfortunate but acceptable “cost” of preserving Second Amendment rights. In 2023, after a mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, he told an audience:

“You will never live in a society when you have an armed citizenry and you won't have a single gun death. That is nonsense. It's drivel. But I am, I think it's worth it. I think it's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational. Nobody talks like this. They live in a complete alternate universe.”

For many online, these words became the centerpiece of how they processed news of his death.

You reap what you sow, say netizens

On social media, particularly Instagram and X, many users openly celebrated Kirk’s killing, framing it as the consequence of the very values he championed.

One viral post by @lavishmack read: “Why is there any sympathy for someone upholding violence against us?!”

Others filled comment sections with remarks such as, “Didn’t he advocate for gun rights? Like this is his own doing.”

Another user commented, “Small price to pay for our Second Amendment right :/ his words not mine!”

One more user commented, “He got what he deserved. He said it was worth it anyway.”

Another activist captioned his video, “When you make peaceful resolution impossible you make revolution inevitable.”

For many critics, the irony of Kirk’s stance on gun violence and the way he died was reason enough to reject mourning.

Divided reactions: grief vs. rejoicing

While conservative circles and Kirk’s supporters expressed shock and grief over the assassination, the louder online narrative has been one of celebration. Left-leaning influencers argued that sympathy for Kirk was misplaced, since he himself had dismissed gun deaths as acceptable.

Still, some voices condemned the celebrations, warning that mocking or celebrating political violence risks deepening America’s polarisation.

Gun debate rekindled in America

Kirk’s killing has become more than just a tragic event, it has turned into a symbolic flashpoint. His supporters mourn him as a free speech advocate silenced by violence, while opponents say his death embodies the “price” he once said was worth paying.