The House of Representatives descended into a shouting match Wednesday after a request for a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was shot at a campus event in Utah and later died.
Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem and died about two and a half hours later, according to statements from lawmakers on the Hill. Speaker Mike Johnson entered the chamber and led a moment of silence for Kirk before a lawmaker asked that members offer a prayer for him and his family.
When Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., called for a prayer, several Democrats in the chamber vocally rejected the request, shouting in unison and at times calling for action on gun laws instead. One lawmaker referenced a separate school shooting in Evergreen, Colorado, earlier that day that left three people critically injured, asking why no prayers had been observed for that incident. Other protesters yelled demands such as "Pass some gun laws," according to an account from the House floor.
The vocal rejection enraged some Republican members, who returned the shouts and accused Democrats of contributing to a climate of political hostility. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., accused Democrats of bearing responsibility for the violence on social media. Speaker Johnson banged his gavel and demanded order before the chamber settled down.
"Political violence must be called out," Johnson said in a statement released about an hour after the shooting. He told reporters before entering the floor that he had been close with Kirk and described the news as "devastating," saying the nation needed leaders to denounce violence "loudly and clearly."
Lawmakers from both parties expressed shock and grief. "I lost a friend today," said Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla. Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., said his "thoughts and prayers" were with Kirk and his family. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said political violence has no place in the country and called for citizens to do better.
About a dozen Democrats participated in the floor protest, according to accounts from members present. The episode unfolded as lawmakers grappled with the immediate aftermath of the campus shooting and competing calls for mourning and for renewed debate over gun policy.
Turning Point USA, founded in 2012, has been a prominent conservative youth organization on college campuses and in conservative media circles. Kirk, described by fellow Republicans as a regular presence in Washington and a close confidant to some in leadership, was a controversial figure who drew both fervent supporters and frequent criticism.
The House disturbance came amid heightened sensitivity on the Hill after multiple mass shootings this year and as lawmakers have debated proposals on policing, mental health and firearms policy. Members sought to restore order on the chamber floor after the episode and returned to legislative business.
Authorities in Utah have not released further public details about the shooting or an ongoing investigation as of Wednesday night. Lawmakers on both sides called for condemnations of political violence and urged appropriate inquiries into the circumstances of the attack.