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Charlie Kirk's past comment on empathy resurfaces after UVU shooting: ‘I can't stand the word'
Charlie Kirk, 31, was fatally shot at his UVU tour launch. After his death, past clips resurfaced, including one where he said he “can’t stand empathy.”'s
Charlie Kirk, a far-right influencer and Donald Trump ally, was fatally shot at the opening of his 'America Comeback Tour' at Utah Valley College in Orem on Wednesday. The 31-year-old was shot dead as he was answering a question at the event. After his death, a lot of old comments by Kirk have resurfaced on social media, including one where he discusses his take on empathy.
Along with comments on deaths from gun violence, the comment on empathy has also gone viral. In the clip, Kirk speaks to his social media followers in a live video interaction and reveals that he "can't stand the word' empathy.
"I can't stand the word empathy, actually," Kirk says in the video. "I think empathy is a made-up, new-age term that does a lot of damage."
Here's the video:
Charlie Kirk was interacting with his supporters when he was a bullet hit him on the neck. Videos capture the moment, showing blood spilling out of the Turning Point founder's neck. Another video showed the Kirk being transported to the hospital.
Kirk's death was confirmed by President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post. He said that flags will be flown at half-staff in honor of Kirk.
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie," Trump wrote in the Truth Social post.
"He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that a person of interest has been taken into custody for the shooting.
Also read: Charlie Kirk’s daughter’s joyful hug in week-old video now a tragic memory on X
Charlie Kirk's Controversial Comments
A popular right-wing influencer associated with Donald Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, Kirk was known for his controversial comments. Many of his past comments, particularly around gun violence and deaths from gun violence, resurfaced after the 31-year-old's death.
One comment that went particularly viral was after the shooting at Christian Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2023.
“Having an armed citizenry comes with a price, and that is part of liberty…So we need to be very clear that you're not going to get gun deaths to zero. It will not happen. You could significantly reduce them through having more fathers in the home, by having more armed guards in front of schools,” he had said.
