Assassination of Charlie Kirk reignites debate over political violence

THE INTERVIEW | Kirk’s Killing Raises Warning: Violent Extremism as Expression Means Social Upheaval

Hilary Golston spoke with Hal Kempfer, a former Marine intelligence officer, who says the assassination of Charlie Kirk is a stark reminder of what happens when anger curdles into action. Kempfer warns that if violent extremism becomes the only way Americans express themselves, the country could slip into a state of social upheaval, echoing earlier chapters of domestic strife from the Civil War to the unrest of the 1960s. He says Kirk, despite his polarizing views, represented a commitment to civil discourse and that the loss of even controversial voices through violence raises urgent questions about how to confront radicalization and protect the public square.

(FOX 2) - The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is being described as a targeted political assassination  and it’s forcing a fresh reckoning with the nature of political violence, online radicalization, and the preparedness of federal law enforcement.

Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot once while speaking at Utah Valley University last week. Authorities say the suspected gunman, had recently drifted toward more radical political views online. A bullet casing found was engraved with the phrase "Hey, fascist! Catch," a cryptic mix of anti-fascist and meme-driven rhetoric.

Former Marine intelligence officer Hal Kempfer says the shooting underscores the danger when speech curdles into violence. "If violent extremism is the only way we express things, then essentially we will be in a state of social upheaval," Kempfer told Hilary Golston. He added that the United States has faced times of great domestic strife before, from the Civil War to the extraordinary violence of the 1960s and that the echoes are hard to ignore today.

Kempfer reflected on Kirk’s style, saying, "One thing that he did represent was at least civil discourse. Regardless of what he said, he always seemed to maintain his demeanor and he would promote discussion."

As for the investigation, the FBI quickly identified the suspected shooter but did not apprehend him until after the public was alerted. Kempfer said the chaotic scene made it difficult to apply traditional tracking methods. "Everybody just kind of took off in their own direction. It made it difficult to use some of those techniques, like looking at cell phones, making it difficult to isolate the shooter from everything else going on. That was where they made the decision to go public."

But questions are mounting about whether the FBI "dropped the ball." Some Senior officials in Utah had been pushed out in recent weeks as part of a broader shake-up under FBI Director Kash Patel. "When you move people out that have been there for a while that really know the terrain, you’re basically accepting a certain amount of risk," Kempfer said. "That will be something they have to assess. Did they lose knowledge of the state but also key relationships."

The suspect allegedly concealed the gun along his pant leg before the attack. Kempfer said, "It was pretty clear that he had the weapon tucked into his pants down his pant leg. Somebody sees someone walking with a limp,  people actually will tend not to pay much attention to them. That may have worked in a very subconscious way with his ingress on to campus."

The assassination has also sparked a wider debate about how to protect public figures in a moment of deep political division and rising threats. Kempfer argues it may be time to adopt new tools, including drones to monitor rooftops and windows, equipped with lights or irritants to disrupt potential shooters. "That is a low cost, low impact way of maintaining visibility," he said, adding that facial recognition could also play a role.

Authorities continue to investigate the suspected shooters motive as the community prepares for Kirk’s memorial. For many, the shooting represents not just the loss of a polarizing figure, but another sign of a society where political anger is increasingly spilling over into violence, and where the ghosts of past upheavals, from the 1860s to the 1960s, feel closer than ever.