The mysterious man who went viral for chanting “USA!” moments after Charlie Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University has broken his silence.
On Wednesday afternoon, prominent political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while hosting his signature “Prove Me Wrong” debate on the university campus. The 31-year-old was answering a question about school shootings before being shot in the neck by a suspect positioned nearby on a rooftop.
At 4:40 p.m. EST, President Donald Trump broke the tragic news on Truth Social that Kirk was pronounced dead.
After an exhaustive search, authorities arrested a 22-year-old male named Tyler Robinson and charged him with the murder of Charlie Kirk. Robinson is from Washington, Utah, and agreed to turn himself in at the advice of his father.
Moments after Kirk was shot, a video surfaced of a mysterious man leading a “USA! USA! USA!” chant around a horrified crowd.
The mysterious man leading the “USA!” chants has since broken his silence on his X/Twitter account. The man, only identified as “David”, claimed that he led the chant as a way to distract everyone from the horror nearby, per the New York Post:
“When I heard a sharp crack at first I thought it might have been fireworks or a disruptive prank. I looked up to the horizon for smoke. When none appeared, I realized it must have been a firearm. I stood and shouted ‘USA,’ not as a provocation, but to project strength, encourage others, and create a distraction that might help calm panic or even save lives.”
Charlie Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and two young children.
Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Is The Latest Horrific Chapter Of Political Violence In The US
Kirk’s assassination is, tragically, one of numerous instances of rising political violence in the United States. His death comes just three months after Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed at their home by Vance Luther Boelter. On the same day, Boelter shot fellow Minnesota lawmaker John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, but both thankfully survived their injuries.
On April 13, Cody Allen Balmer attempted to assassinate Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro by setting his residence on fire. Balmer reportedly stated that he planned to attack Shapiro with a hammer had they crossed paths. On July 13 last year, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt after being shot in the ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A Secret Service sniper killed the sniper, Thomas Matthew Crooks.
