Political violence in spotlight following Charlie Kirk assassination

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - There’s a new spotlight on the rise of political violence following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

A gunman shot and killed Kirk during an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. President Donald Trump announced Friday morning Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.

It marked the latest in a recent string of political violence.

Days later, Charlie Kirk’s death has become a launching point to gauge the temperature of division in America.

“People are taking it to an extreme that we haven’t seen in the past,” said Eric O’Neill.

A former FBI counterterrorism operative, O’Neill is no stranger to violence.

He said this time there’s no foreign actor to blame, we’re doing it to ourselves.

“It’s changing beliefs. It’s creating this idea, this almost new ideology, that words can be violence. And so words should be met with violence,” he said.

O’Neill said the cause is language, doomscrolling on social media and only seeing one side, a lack of health debate. The fiery, impassioned words used by many that now sound like a battle cry.

“There are these differences and ideas that have drawn lines, almost battle lines, if you will,” he said.

Kirk isn’t the only one caught in the crossfire. A gunman shot and killed former Minnesota state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark on June 14. He’s also charged with shooting Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman. Both are Democrats. On May 21, a gunman shot and killed two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington.

That’s not to mention other acts of violence – the Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shaprio’s (D) residence firebombed on April 13, the targeting of campaign offices, and not one, but two assassination attempts on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2024.

“We need more discussions between people who don’t agree that don’t lead to violence,” O’Neill said. “And I think that, you know, our politicians at the top could lead by example.”

With a nation on the edge, some are like Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R). Realizing true change will take the work of everyone, so that list of names doesn’t grow.

“We can always point the finger at the other side,” Cox said. “And at some point we have to find an off ramp or it’s going to get much, much worse.”