Social Media Reacts After Disturbing Tweets Appear to Foreshadow Charlie Kirk Shooting at Utah Valley University
The shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University has left people shaken across the country, not only because of the violence itself but also because of what has surfaced online in the hours that followed. Screenshots from social media began circulating almost immediately, showing posts that appeared to foreshadow what was about to happen. One message read, “Charlie Kirk is coming to my college tomorrow I rlly hope someone evaporates him literally.” Another, posted shortly after, added, “Let’s just say something big will happen tomorrow.”
For many, the timing of these posts feels eerie, almost like a warning that no one noticed until it was too late. As the news of Kirk being shot spread across national outlets, the resurfacing of these tweets ignited outrage. People wanted to know whether law enforcement had seen them before, and if so, why nothing was done. Others pointed out how dangerous it has become to dismiss online threats as jokes, especially when they are so directly tied to real events.
Authorities have not confirmed any official link between the account that published the tweets and the suspect now in custody. The FBI and local investigators are still piecing together the full timeline of what led up to the shooting. But the screenshots have already taken on a life of their own, shared thousands of times across X, Instagram, and TikTok. For supporters of Charlie Kirk, they serve as painful proof that his presence on college campuses has become such a flashpoint that even violence is spoken about casually online.
It is hard not to feel unsettled when reading the words of those tweets next to the timeline of what happened. The day after they were posted, Kirk was standing under a tent at Utah Valley University, addressing students as he has countless times before, when chaos erupted. He was rushed away by security, his condition critical, as students scrambled in fear. In the middle of that, the possibility that someone had publicly hinted at what was coming feels almost too much to bear.
The shooting itself has already been condemned by leaders from both parties, with calls for unity against political violence. But the social media aspect has added another layer of urgency. What responsibility do platforms have to flag posts that seem to predict violence? What responsibility do users have when sharing or engaging with them? And what does it mean when those warnings appear in plain sight and nothing is done?
The tragedy of Charlie Kirk being shot will be remembered on its own, but these tweets may end up being remembered as well. They are a grim reminder of how much of our lives play out online, and how words typed in seconds can echo in ways no one expects. For those who saw them after the fact, they are chilling. For those waiting for Kirk’s recovery, they are heartbreaking. And for the rest of us, they are a warning about the fragile line between talk and action in a world where both can spread faster than we can keep up.
