Lindsay Arnold, a former professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars, defended a social-media tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk after receiving criticism and said the shooting that killed him "hit close to home" because it occurred at a nearby university.
Arnold, 31, initially posted a "Rest in Peace" message for Kirk, who was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Followers questioned why she had commented on Kirk's death and not on other shootings or tragedies. In an Instagram Story response, Arnold said the incident was physically close to her: "This shooting hit close to home for me (figuratively and literally) being that it happened at a university that I can literally see from my kitchen window. It's not even 10 minutes away from my childhood home and people I know were at that school today and it was scary."
Arnold made clear her post was not intended as a political statement but as a condemnation of violence. She wrote that murder and violence are wrong and said she feels the same about all tragedies, adding: "Acknowledging one awful tragedy does not take away from another. My heart breaks for all those who lose loved ones to heartless violent acts." Arnold's remark came amid broader reactions from public figures including Mandy Moore, Chris Pratt, Savannah Chrisley and Josh Duhamel.
Kirk, who married Erika Lane Frantzve in 2021 and is survived by their two young children, was shot while speaking on campus. Witnesses described seeing him begin to bleed before he was rushed into a vehicle. Authorities said a shooter opened fire from the roof of the Losee Center, about 200 yards from the location where Kirk was addressing students and community members.
Local, state and federal law enforcement have launched a manhunt. Officials said the suspect was seen wearing all black and aviator-style sunglasses. Shortly after the shooting, police detained a 71-year-old man, George Zinn, and another person, but authorities later said there were no current ties between those individuals and the shooting. The FBI and the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a joint statement that the investigation is ongoing and the search for the shooter continues.
University police said six officers were patrolling the scene and were working with Kirk's personal security team. All classes at Utah Valley University were canceled through Monday while investigators continue their work.
The shooting has reverberated across politics and entertainment. President Donald Trump announced Kirk's death, calling him "great, and even legendary," and ordered U.S. flags to be lowered to half-staff through Sunday evening at 6 p.m. EST.
Arnold's response underscores how the proximity of the attack to her hometown and personal connections shaped her reaction. In her Instagram Story she acknowledged she does not comment publicly on every tragedy, but emphasized that condemning one violent act does not diminish empathy for victims of others as the investigation into the Utah shooting proceeds.