Australian satire outlet The Chaser and US website Jezebel have drawn international condemnation after publishing controversial material connected to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University.
Kirk, 31, was shot while taking audience questions at an outdoor event in Orem, Utah, the first stop of his "American Comeback Tour." The single gunshot struck him in the neck; witnesses posted videos showing him collapsing as attendees fled. Authorities said the campus was evacuated and classes were cancelled. Two people were detained and later released, and officials said they were seeking a new person of interest; they had not immediately identified a motive.
The Chaser published a satirical post that read, in headline form, "R U OK Day not going well at Turning Point," a reference to R U OK? Day — an Australian mental health awareness initiative observed on the second Thursday of September — and Turning Point USA, the organisation Kirk founded. The post was posted on the outlet's independent website and social responses indicated the account had disabled replies on X.
The headline and accompanying commentary prompted immediate backlash online, with critics accusing The Chaser of gloating over a political assassination and praising Kirk's death. Activist Drew Pavlou, known for his criticism of the Chinese Communist Party, named the author, John Delmenico, directly and warned against any celebration of political violence. "Think very carefully where you stand today. If you celebrate murdering people for their political views, you could make yourself a target one day," Pavlou wrote.
Daily Mail reported that The Chaser, which began as a programme on Australia's public broadcaster ABC but now operates independently, still runs advertising that has included ABC-promoted material for a newer show. The ABC and The Chaser were contacted for comment, the report said.
Separately, lifestyle website Jezebel, which had published an article on September 8 titled "We Paid Some Etsy Witches to Curse Charlie Kirk," issued a statement after news of the shooting spread. Jezebel said the piece had appeared two days before the attack and that the site "condemned the shooting of Charlie Kirk in the strongest possible terms" and did not "endorse, encourage, or excuse political violence of any kind."
The shooting drew swift condemnation from across the US political spectrum and renewed attention on political violence. President Donald Trump called the killing "a dark moment for America" and vowed to pursue those responsible, saying his administration would target individuals and organisations that "contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence." In a subsequent recorded message from the White House, he described Kirk as "a martyr for truth and freedom" and blamed the rhetoric of what he termed the "radical left."
Video confirmed by The Associated Press showed Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone from a tented area marked with slogans tied to his tour when a shot rang out. Witnesses said the shooter fired from a building roof some distance from the courtyard. Utah public safety officials said about 3,000 people were at the event and that university police and Kirk's security detail were present.
Police searched surrounding neighbourhoods and conducted door-to-door enquiries as they followed leads. The state attorney general said the shooter would be held accountable; Utah is a jurisdiction that retains capital punishment. Federal law enforcement was involved in the investigation.
The killings have prompted debate about security at political events and the role of online rhetoric. Kirk was a polarising figure whose campus visits had drawn protests; an online petition had sought to bar him from the Utah university prior to the event. Utah Valley University had defended the planned appearance on free speech grounds.
News outlets and social platforms reported a wide range of responses to the media posts, with commentators noting the potential consequences of tasteless or inflammatory content in the immediate aftermath of a violent act. Jezebel, in its statement, reiterated that the earlier piece had been published before the assault and disavowed any endorsement of violence.
Both The Chaser and Jezebel are established in their respective spheres — The Chaser in satirical political commentary and Jezebel in feminist and cultural criticism — and both face intensified scrutiny when coverage intersects with real-world violence. Requests for comment from the outlets were reported to have been made by other media.
Authorities said they were continuing to investigate the shooting and asked anyone with information to contact law enforcement. The killing has prompted vigils and tributes in some places, while also catalysing calls for renewed efforts to address political polarization and threats to public figures.
The incident and the ensuing online fallout illustrate the tensions that can arise between satire, criticism and the immediate human impact of political violence, and how quickly media coverage can become part of wider public controversy.