TMZ issued an apology after employees were heard laughing and applauding on a livestream just before the outlet announced the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a moment that prompted widespread criticism and renewed debate about media conduct and political violence.
The apology, delivered on camera by TMZ co-hosts Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere, said staff in a back room were watching a car chase and that their reaction was not to Kirk’s death. "We acknowledge that it was horrible timing," Latibeaudiere told viewers. Levin said the newsroom had been livestreaming throughout the day and insisted that anyone who would find Kirk's death funny "would not work here." Critics on social media said the timing made the reaction appear callous and some questioned the explanation offered by the outlet.
Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while taking questions at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday. Officials said a single bullet struck him in the neck while he was seated under a tent responding to a question about gun violence. He was pronounced dead later that day. President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death and led tributes on social media.
Federal and local investigators described the killing as a politically motivated assassination and said the fatal shot was fired from the roof of a nearby building about 200 feet from the microphone where Kirk was speaking. Video circulated online appears to show someone on a roof before fleeing after shots were fired. The FBI said there was no one in custody for the shooting as of Wednesday night. Authorities arrested a 71-year-old man, George Zinn, immediately after the attack but later booked him only on obstruction of justice; investigators said he was not the gunman. Another person was detained and released after questioning, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
Kirk leaves a wife, Erika Frantzve, and two young children. Campus police said only a handful of officers were present at the event, which drew roughly 3,000 attendees, prompting questions about security at the speaking engagement.
The killing drew rapid responses across the media and entertainment world. Stephen Colbert opened Wednesday night's edition of The Late Show with an unplanned address that condemned political violence and offered condolences to Kirk’s family. Colbert said he remembered the political violence of the 1960s and warned that violence only begets more violence. "Political violence does not solve any of our political differences," he said, adding that he hoped the shooting was the act of a lone deranged individual and not the start of a wider trend.
Colbert’s remarks were among numerous statements from public figures calling for calm and urging the rejection of politically motivated violence. California Gov. Gavin Newsom denounced the attack as "disgusting, vile, and reprehensible," and other elected officials and commentators from across the political spectrum similarly condemned the killing.
Social media responses were starkly divided. Some users celebrated Kirk’s death or posted mocking videos, drawing condemnation from opponents on both sides. Others criticized TMZ for what they described as insensitivity after hearing laughter in the outlet’s live feed. TMZ posted a written note on its social accounts acknowledging the "tone-deaf" appearance of staff watching unrelated footage as the assassination was being reported and reiterated that the off-camera reaction was not directed at Kirk.
Turning Point USA, the conservative nonprofit Kirk founded to promote conservative ideas on school campuses, issued statements mourning his death and called for a full investigation. Law enforcement officials said the FBI and local authorities would continue to release information as the inquiry proceeded.
The shooting raises questions about security at political events, the conduct of media organizations covering breaking tragedies, and the role of social platforms in disseminating raw footage and commentary. Investigators continue to review video and eyewitness accounts as they seek to identify a suspect and determine a motive.
As officials pursue leads, calls for unity and denouncements of political violence have come from across the political divide, while scrutiny of how media outlets handle live coverage of traumatic events is likely to persist. TMZ said it would be more mindful in future broadcasts; investigators and family members await further developments in the probe into Kirk's death.