The killing of Charlie Kirk could send political violence to new levels as social media users make vile posts celebrating the death or vowing revenge, an expert warns.
Mr Kirk, a prominent conservative activist, was shot dead aged 31 during a campus event in Utah on Wednesday local time.
Tributes flowed for Mr Kirk on social media, with many pointing out that he was survived by his wife and two young children.
But some of the posts gave a disturbing insight into the current political climate in the US, which was already reeling over a video released this week of the stabbing death of a young woman on a North Carolina train.
“I’m done. I’m fully radicalised,” one viral post said.
Another wrote, “I have been radicalised by the assassination of Charlie Kirk”.
“A message to the left: Debate time is over. You ended it,” a right-wing commentator announced.
On the left, some users appeared to celebrate Mr Kirk’s death or make light of it.
“Lol Charlie Kirk died doing what he loved, defending gun violence,” one wrote.
““My bf (boyfriend) just shouted excitedly from the other room, ‘someone’s shot Charlie Kirk’ lol,” another said.
Political analyst Matthew Dowd sparked outrage when, on a panel at left-wing channel MSNBC, he suggested Mr Kirk deserved to be assassinated.
“You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place,” Mr Dowd said. The station later issued an apology over his comments, calling them unacceptable.
The shooting took place against the backdrop of an America that has become increasingly numb to violence, according to Josh Roose, an expert in extremism from Deakin University.
“America is already a deeply divided society, it’s deeply polarised,” Mr Roose told news.com.au.
“Online activity only indicates this will lead to a significant hardening of that polarisation. We’re hitting potentially a new stage now.
“This is a growing pattern in the US of targeted violence against figures from opposite political persuasion.
“I think America’s become so inured to political violence over the past half-decade, it’s becoming normalised, slowly, and it does contribute to creating an even more fertile environment for radicalisation and violent extremism.”
The shooting had put a dark cloud over future elections and political events in the US and “any major talk by a public figure now has to have significant potential concern”.
“Not only has the rhetoric online hit unprecedented levels in its violent content, but the apparatuses of government there - the national guard, ICE - have been utilised in unprecedented ways. There is a danger of both street-level and institutional violence.”
Mr Roose said the shooting could also impact political discourse in Australia.
“Australian commentators are very loud and outspoken about this, and everything that happens over there has that ripple effect because of our deep cultural ties.
“Australian politicians will have to reckon with this.”
Shooter at large
The suspected shooter remained at large on Wednesday evening. FBI Director Kash Patel said a “subject” who had been taken into custody had been released after an “interrogation by law enforcement”.
Dan Bongino, FBI Deputy Director and former podcast host, wrote on his personal X account, “May God rest your heroic and patriotic soul... We will not rest.”
In a video statement on Wednesday night, Donald Trump said he was “filled with grief and anger”, describing Kirk as a “martyr” and a “patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country he loved so much”.
“This is a dark moment for America,” he said.
“My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organisations that fund it and support it.”
Kevin Rudd, Australia’s Ambassador to the US, said in a statement, “The death of Charlie Kirk today is deeply distressing. There is no space for political violence in any democracy. My thoughts, and those of all Australians, are with his family and loved ones.”
