TMZ issued an apology after a clip of its livestream captured newsroom staffers laughing and applauding shortly before the outlet announced the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
The footage, which circulated widely on social media, prompted immediate backlash as viewers reacted to the perceived tone in the newsroom while reporters on camera were covering the shooting at Utah Valley University. Activists and commentators posted excerpts of the livestream that showed audible laughter and clapping before the on-air announcement that Kirk had been shot and killed.
TMZ founder Harvey Levin and executive producer Charles Latibeaudiere addressed the incident in a video statement late Wednesday, saying the noise came from staff members watching a separate car chase and was not a reaction to Kirk’s death. "As we were reporting the assassination of Charlie Kirk, there were some people in the back room — away from our news desk here — who were watching a car chase, and they were laughing. They were clapping. And you could hear it out here," Levin said. He added that those employees "would not work here if they did" laugh at the tragedy.
Latibeaudiere said TMZ acknowledged the timing was poor and apologized. "It was horrible timing. And for that, we are sorry," he said, adding, "No one was laughing at the Charlie Kirk tragedy. We apologize."
The statements came as the country reacted to the killing of the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, who was shot at Utah Valley University during an event that was part of his "American Comeback Tour." According to officials and news accounts, Kirk had just answered a question about transgender shooters when he was shot. He is survived by his wife and two young children. Law enforcement has said the shooter remains at large.
Critics said the clip reflected insensitivity in the face of a death that drew national attention and prompted fresh debate over security at political events and campus safety. Supporters of Kirk called for accountability and criticized TMZ for a perceived lack of remorse. The social media posts that amplified the clip included a widely shared message from activist Laura Loomer that said employees were heard cheering roughly 30 seconds before the death announcement.
TMZ said it had been livestreaming coverage of the developing story throughout the day. Levin and Latibeaudiere characterized the laughter as "tone deaf" because it occurred while the outlet was reporting the shooting, and said the outlet understood why listeners were upset. They reiterated that the people heard were not reacting to news of the shooting and offered a direct apology to viewers.
The episode highlights the challenges newsrooms face when producing continuous live coverage of fast-moving, often overlapping events. Journalists and producers who work across multiple streams of coverage frequently monitor several feeds at once; media organizations say that can result in moments of confusion or mis-timing that are immediately visible to online audiences.
As of the latest reports, authorities continue to investigate the shooting at Utah Valley University and to search for the assailant. TMZ said it would review the clip internally and consider steps to avoid similar occurrences during live coverage in the future.
Levin and Latibeaudiere did not provide additional details about any personnel actions. The outlet's apology addressed the public outrage but stopped short of acknowledging any deliberate misconduct in the moments captured on the livestream.