Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) on Friday criticized conservative commentators and some Republican officials who quickly blamed Democrats and political opponents for the fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, saying she would “go on facts” and urging restraint until investigators establish a motive.
Kirk, a prominent Trump ally and founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday at Utah Valley University. A suspect has been arrested, but authorities have not confirmed a motive. Crockett made her remarks during an appearance on the radio program The Breakfast Club, saying it was premature for partisan accusations to follow the killing.
“I hate that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle immediately came out and they were like, ‘Oh, you know, this is on the Democrats,’” Crockett said. “Like, we don’t even know who did what. And ya’ll are like, ‘This is on the Democrats.’” She added that the first step should be denouncing political violence and waiting for facts, noting that much of the violent crime she encountered as a criminal defense attorney was personal and not politically motivated.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday, speaking from the Oval Office, accused “the radical left” of responsibility for the “terrorism” that led to Kirk’s death. Fox News host Jesse Watters said on air that “they” were “at war with us,” and other conservative voices similarly suggested partisan motives. Crockett said that kind of rhetoric risks inflaming tensions without evidence.
Some conservative commentators also blamed the transgender community almost immediately. Donald Trump Jr. and former Fox host Megyn Kelly said on Thursday that transgender people were more violent or posed a heightened risk; those comments drew criticism from Democratic and LGBTQ advocates who said such broad assertions were unfounded. Reporting in The Wall Street Journal said shell casings found at the scene bore inscriptions referencing “transgender and antifascist ideology,” but that account was later accompanied by an editor’s note that walked back some details as officials continued their investigation.
Crockett acknowledged that political violence does occur but warned against rushing to partisan conclusions. “I mean obviously, the first thing that anybody would say, and you didn’t have any Democrat that went out there and said otherwise, is, ‘We’re denouncing political violence,’” she said. “It hasn’t even been confirmed that Kirk’s killing was political.”
The congresswoman also pointed to broader patterns of violence and ideology, saying the majority of shootings are tied to white supremacist ideology and lamenting a lack of legislative action to address that threat. “There’s no legislation that they [Republicans] want to bring,” Crockett said. “Every time you say ‘white supremacy,’ they want to yell, ‘Oh, you’re race-baiting.’ No, I am going on facts.”
She cited prior attacks related to high-profile political figures as examples of the complex motivations behind political violence, noting that at least two individuals who attempted attacks on former President Trump had reported ties to the Republican Party. Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was shot and killed after an alleged attempt to assassinate Trump in Pennsylvania last year, was reportedly a registered Republican. Ryan Routh, who allegedly tried to shoot Trump at his Florida golf club, had previously voiced support for him.
Law enforcement officials have not released a confirmed motive in Kirk’s killing. Investigations into the scene and the suspect’s background are ongoing, and several outlets have reported differing early details, prompting corrections and editor’s notes as more information becomes available.
Crockett’s remarks reflect broader concerns in Washington about inflammatory political rhetoric and its potential to escalatedangerous behavior. She urged elected officials and media figures to allow investigators to determine facts before assigning blame and to pursue concrete measures to combat white supremacy and other extremist violence.
As authorities continue to investigate the shooting, calls for calm from members of both parties have competed with swift public statements laying political blame, underscoring the polarized response to violence involving high-profile political figures.