Pawn Stars alumnus Corey Harrison on Wednesday posted a fiery video blaming the media and Democrats for the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and calling for "action" and public accountability. The clip, published shortly after Kirk was shot, has been viewed millions of times on X and earned tens of thousands of likes on Instagram.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University, according to law enforcement and hospital officials. Witnesses and officials said he was struck once in the neck, collapsed and later died at a local hospital. He leaves behind his wife, Erika Frantzve, and two young children.
In the video, Harrison, 42, said he was "surprised" to agree with Democrats that "thoughts and prayers aren't enough this time," then escalated his criticism of news organizations and political figures. He accused outlets such as CNN and MSNBC of demonizing Kirk and likened the rhetoric to giving license for violence, saying viewers were being told it was acceptable to "kill Nazis" when opponents are repeatedly labeled as such.
"You guys killed this man, whether you pulled the trigger yourself," Harrison said. He demanded "action" and called for "perp walks," adding, "Fk you, fk you, f**k you!" The post has been widely shared and discussed on social platforms.
President Donald Trump made related remarks on Wednesday evening, saying that "violence and murder are the tragic consequences of demonizing those with whom you disagree" and blaming what he called "radical left political violence." Trump said he planned to posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom and praised Kirk as a "champion of liberty."
Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded as a teenager to promote conservative ideas on college campuses, issued a statement calling him a "leader, a mentor and a friend" and said his legacy would endure. Kirk and his wife celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May.
Federal authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspect in the killing. The FBI released images of a person of interest and announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Late Thursday, law enforcement sources said they knew the name of the person of interest but had not publicly revealed it.
Kirk's death has prompted responses across the political spectrum, with some leaders and commentators warning against inflammatory rhetoric while others decried the media's coverage of conservative figures. The shooting has renewed debate about political discourse, public safety at political events and the responsibilities of media organizations and public figures.
Harrison rose to public attention through his long-running role on the History Channel reality series Pawn Stars. His video is among several high-profile reactions since the shooting that have focused on the potential societal consequences of heated political language.
Investigators have appealed to the public for tips and said they continue to follow leads. Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect or released further details about a motive as the search and the federal investigation proceed.