The controversy began when a clip circulated online showing three women in casual clothes standing in a room. Moments later, the video shows them wearing party-style clothes. This change coincides with a short six-second audio clip capturing the final moments of Kirk’s murder, including his voice and the sound of the fatal shot, followed by screams in the background. Kirk’s last words: “Count or not count mass violence” can be heard in the clip.The use of such audio in an aesthetic video format created controversy. Turning Point USA, the conservative group founded by Kirk, took to the issue to condemn this trend.In a statement posted on Twitter, the organization said: “Turning Point USA strongly condemns the TikTok audio trend that uses or references the murder of our founder Charlie Kirk for entertainment.”The statement continued: “Charlie Kirk was the victim of a real act of political violence. To turn this into viral material is grotesque and inhumane. There is nothing harmless, funny or acceptable about it. It reflects a culture that trivializes violence and reduces real human harm to a punchline.”Calling for action, the group said: “This has no place on TikTok or anywhere. This audio needs to be removed.”The video in question appears to follow a familiar social media trend where users transition between outfits or moods with a dramatic audio cue. However, using audio associated with violent death crosses a line for many social media users, especially when presented in an entertainment context such as TikTok or Instagram.Charlie Kirk’s wife Erica Kirk has also condemned recent trends and memes that use Charlie’s photos in a humorous manner. Erica now leads TPUSA.Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025, after being shot in the neck by a sniper while addressing college students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. His alleged killer, 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson, was later arrested. US Vice President J.D. Vance attended his memorial service and President Donald Trump also called Kirk a martyr and a victim of “left-wing violence”.
