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Who is Hunter Kozak? Last person to talk to Charlie Kirk says ‘It's been rough’ after shooting
Hunter Kozak had asked Charlie Kirk about mass shootings in the US, right before the Turning Point USA founder was fatally shot.
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot when attending an event at the Utah Valley University on September 10. Video of the incident showed the 31-year-old conservative activist sitting in a tent and speaking to people when a bullet hit him in the neck. Kirk was shifted to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries soon after.
Further videos went on to show that Kirk was answering a question about mass shootings in the US when he was shot. The question was asked by one Hunter Kozak, who has now broken his silence on the matter.
What Kozak and Kirk spoke about
Hunter Kozak asked Kirk, a Trump ally, if he knew how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years, to which Kirk responded ‘too many’. Kozak then followed up by asking Kirk if he knew how many shootings have been there in the US in the last ten years.
Kirk responded, ”Counting or not counting gang violence?”. Soon after, the shot rang out and hit the conservative political activist.
What Kozak said about Kirk
Kozak had posted about his role in the final moments of Kirk's life on social media, this Thursday.
“I don’t know how to make this video; it’s been a rough 24 hours. I was the last person to talk to Charlie Kirk,” he had said. Then, addressing the shooter and those celebrating the act, Kozak continued, “First off, you sick f---ing psychos who think this is the answer, it’s not. I don’t know what else to say. It’s awful, and a father doesn’t have his kids anymore. Charlie had two kids and a wife.”
He added, “Not to make this about me, but I have two kids and a wife, and if my one-year-old boy, like his one-year-old boy, will grow up without memories of his dad, it’s a tragedy, and it’s hard to grapple with. I’m part of a community that’s struggling to grapple with it right now.”
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“People have obviously pointed to the irony that the point I was trying to make is how peaceful the left was right before he got shot, and that only makes sense if we stay peaceful,” Kozak further continued. He also asked “As much as I disagree with Charlie Kirk—I’m on the record for how much I disagree with Charlie Kirk—but he is still a human being. Have we forgotten that?”
Kozak concluded the message saying “And if you’re salivating about what happened, don’t. I don’t know if any of my audience is, but if you are, you’re not part of what I’m trying to build here, at all.”
He added that the point he was trying to make is ‘how peaceful the Left was’ right before Kirk got shot.
Who is Hunter Kozak
Kozak is a liberal TikToker, who's said that he's been on record ‘disagreeing’ with Kirk's point of views. The 29-year-old said that he'd wanted to challenge Kirk, New York Times reported.
It was with that spirit that Kozak attended the event at Utah Valley University, where he's studying math education. He arrived 90 minutes early to join the line of attendees who were hoping to speak to Kirk and was ushered forwards, after event organizers previewed his question.
Kozak and his wife are liberals who live in a conservative part of a Republican state. NYT reported that their living room has flags for Black Lives Matter, Ukraine, L.G.B.T.Q. rights, along with the national flag. The two grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and met at Brigham Young University, NYT also reported.
Kozak and his wife are also parents to two children, and his wife just gave birth to their second child on Sunday. Following the shooting, Kozak expressed worries that he might be blamed for Kirk's killing and his residence might be tracked down.
Given that Kirk was shot right after his question on mass shootings, Kozak said “I couldn’t have asked a worse question,” as per NYT.
