Utah witnesses say the confusion after Charlie Kirk’s shooting
Witnesses describe the panic and graphic scene after Charlie Kirk was shot in Orem, Utah.
The news unfolded quickly and spread within a social media moment. Right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10th while speaking on the University of Utah campus. His murderer remains massive.
In the chaos of this moment, it’s easy to lose sight of the people most affected, his family.
Kirk, 31, was Erica Franzbe’s husband and father of two young children. He has a three-year-old daughter and one son, and he lives the rest of his life without him. An overwhelming, stinging sadness that is never completely healed. The videos and photos of Kirk with his kids are heartbreaking and difficult to see.
“She’s never going to be accepted by her dad again,” an Instagram commenter wrote about the sweet moment between Kirk and his daughter on the Fox news set. “She will never receive that smile again.” Another addition: “Whether you like him or hate him, he is millions of husbands, fathers and influencers. May God protect him.”
Regardless of your views or political tendencies, for many, the sadness of losing a parent is relevant and unbearable.
“Charlie Kirk’s children will bear this loss for the rest of their lives, just like they did when they lost their parents,” explains the licensed clinical social worker, “the author on the move doesn’t mean letting go.” “That kind of grief will change their world forever.”
For some, that aspect of Kirk’s life and heritage can be particularly difficult to think about, or it can stir up powerful and personal feelings.
“Sadness can surface here in unexpected ways. For some, it’s not sadness for Kirk himself, but sadness for the world’s state, the violence itself, or for the children and families left behind,” says Moffa. “For others, it’s sadness intertwined with anger and ambiguity.”
“The world is becoming more unpredictable and unstable.”
If you are struggling to handle this moment yourself, remember that sadness must be seen in one direction rather than linear. “It’s important to realize and name what you’re feeling, whether sadness, anger, fear, relief, indifference, confusion,” says Moffa. “They honestly reflect your own relationship with the public being.”
Express your feelings whether it’s chatting with someone nearby, whether it’s praying or writing. Don’t hide it from the layers of emotions and frustration.
“The loss of public figures can stir up a variety of responses from the public,” says psychotherapist Amy Morin, author of 13 psychotherapist and podcast host. “It’s sometimes surprising and embarrassing to see people having such a strong response to someone else’s death that they personally didn’t know.”
If you are a parent, this may be an opportunity to explain death and grief to your child. News of Kirk’s death and graphic footage showing the moment he was killed quickly spread between young social media users and the high school corridors.
Use “clear, simple, age-appropriate, language, not e-song representation.” And remember, “It’s safe to protect children the most: consistent adults, those who listen and reassure them that their emotions and experiences are permitted.”
Kirk’s shootings aren’t even the first political violence the country has seen this year. It adds, “As the world is becoming more and more unpredictable and unstable, conversations with our children will become increasingly necessary to be safe and conscious of our families.”
Some of the online reactions focused on frustration that it wasn’t all the shootings like Colorado High School on the same day as Kirk’s murder. Psychologist Rene Carr can not only experience grief for his loss, but also experience responsiveness to bigger issues such as gun violence and news coverage.
In any case, this message from Moffa is true: “No one deserves to be killed for their words and opinions.”
