Social Media Backlash as TikTok Videos Show Users Celebrating News of Charlie Kirk Being Shot at Utah Valley University
The shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University was already one of the most shocking moments of the year. The conservative commentator, who has spent years traveling across the country speaking to young people and sparking debates on college campuses, was struck during one of his Turning Point USA events. Students described scenes of chaos as he was rushed away by security while law enforcement confirmed a suspect had been taken into custody. As the news spread across national outlets, from Reuters to the Associated Press, the nation’s focus turned to Kirk’s condition and the wider questions of political violence on campus.
But while most people responded with shock and prayers for recovery, a disturbing corner of the internet erupted in something else entirely. On TikTok, several videos quickly went viral showing users reacting with glee to the news. One video showed a young woman smiling and pumping her fist while the text read “Charlie Kirk was just shot in the neck at a Utah event.” Another featured a man grinning and saying, “First Nepal and now Charlie Kirk shot in Utah! Is something happening?” A third video captured someone laughing in disbelief with the words “Charlie Kirk got shot?!?!” splashed across the screen.
The reaction to these clips was swift and angry. Across X, Facebook, and Instagram, critics called the videos tasteless, cruel, and evidence of how divided the country has become. Even those who disagreed with Kirk’s politics condemned the celebratory tone, insisting that violence is never something to cheer. Lawmakers from both parties have already spoken out to denounce the shooting itself, and many pointed to the TikTok reactions as an example of how toxic online culture can become in moments of crisis.
For anyone watching, the videos were hard to stomach. A man had been shot in public, his life hanging in the balance, and instead of empathy, some chose to record themselves grinning into their phones. The dissonance between the seriousness of the moment and the levity of the clips left many people questioning what has happened to basic human decency. Social media has always been a mirror of the culture, but this time it reflected something darker—how quickly people can turn tragedy into content, and how desensitized some have become to the real pain behind the headlines.
Charlie Kirk remains in critical condition, and the investigation into the shooting continues. But alongside the legal questions of who pulled the trigger and why, there are also moral questions now being asked about what it says when young people broadcast celebration over a violent act. While many still pray for Kirk’s recovery, the viral TikTok clips serve as a reminder of just how fractured the conversation has become, and how much work remains to bring empathy back into public life.
