Dave Portnoy said he was forced to hire round-the-clock security earlier this year after receiving "truly horrific messages" online, remarks he made on his podcast as the nation reacted to the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
On the latest episode of Barstool Sports' The Unnamed Show, Portnoy described a final encounter with Kirk two months earlier, saying he had asked the conservative activist whether he traveled to college campuses with heavy protection. Portnoy said Kirk told him he "travel[s] with a big security detail," and was aware of the risks that come with speaking at universities.
Portnoy told cohost Kirk Minihane that a viral clip of a heated argument earlier this year had prompted a surge of threatening messages. "People who have no idea who I am, really no idea [of] you, aren't involved... and I'm getting truly horrific messages," he said. "It doesn't really bother me, but I think said during that time, I had for the first time in my life 24/7 security, because all it takes is one lunatic."
Kirk, 31, was shot while speaking at a Q&A event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday. He collapsed after being struck by a single bullet, was rushed to a hospital and later died, authorities and his family said. The FBI and Utah law enforcement launched a major manhunt after the attack; officials said two suspects were initially detained but later clarified that the shooter remains at large.
The killing has prompted widespread condemnation and reinvigorated debate over security for public figures and the tone of online discourse. Portnoy said the shooting and subsequent online reactions — including posts celebrating Kirk's death — had alarmed him. He contrasted the response to Kirk's killing with public reactions to other violent incidents, saying that people had also celebrated the earlier slaying of a healthcare worker.
Organizations and individuals have faced immediate consequences for online comments tied to the shooting. The NFL's Carolina Panthers said it fired a junior employee after an Instagram post that mocked Kirk's death, and social media platforms were scrutinized for posts appearing to celebrate the assassination.
Kirk, a married father of two, is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, their 3-year-old daughter and a 16-month-old son. The couple marked their fourth wedding anniversary in May.
Portnoy, who founded Barstool Sports and hosts The Unnamed Show, framed his decision to increase personal security as a response to volatile online threats rather than a change in his own activities. His comments come as law enforcement continues to seek the person or persons responsible for the shooting at the university.
Investigators from the FBI and local police have not released a public suspect description or motive, and they urged anyone with information to contact authorities as the search continued. The case has drawn attention to safety at public events and the potential consequences of incendiary online rhetoric directed at high-profile figures.