An American transgender BMX cyclist drew widespread condemnation after posting social media messages that celebrated the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University this week.
The posts, attributed by news outlets to Chelsea Wolfe — a Team USA BMX alternate at the Tokyo Olympics — appeared on her Instagram story and included reshared commentary and images that welcomed Kirk’s death. The messages, which several outlets reported have since expired, prompted outrage from public figures and users across social media.
Kirk, a conservative commentator and ally of former President Donald Trump, was shot Wednesday while taking part in a question-and-answer event at the public university in Orem, Utah. He was struck by a single bullet and was later pronounced dead at a hospital, authorities and news reports said. President Trump told Fox & Friends on Friday that investigators had a suspect in custody, and the FBI said it had recovered the firearm believed to have been used. Two people were briefly detained earlier in the investigation and were released, prompting a broader manhunt before a subject was later taken into custody, according to officials.
Investigators said Kirk had been debating issues that included the involvement of transgender people in mass shootings moments before he was struck. Authorities also said they recovered a rifle at the scene. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had circulated a law-enforcement bulletin noting that rounds recovered from the weapon bore inscriptions, a detail first reported by The Wall Street Journal. A Department of Justice source later confirmed to the Daily Mail that the bulletin was authentic, while cautioning that evidence is still being assessed and the investigation is ongoing.
Wolfe, who competed as an alternate on the U.S. women’s BMX team in Tokyo and is widely reported as the first openly transgender athlete to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team, posted a series of Instagram stories that included celebratory messages and reshared commentary critical of Kirk. According to reporting on the posts, she posted an image of a news report with an animated overlay reading "We did it!" and a separate selfie giving a thumbs-up alongside a caption that disparaged Kirk’s politics. The Daily Mail and other outlets reported the posts and noted some content has since expired.
Wolfe’s BMX career has been subject to recent controversy. She has said she began competing after her gender transition in 2014, and she was effectively sidelined from international women’s competition in 2023 after the Union Cycliste Internationale adopted rules restricting transgender athletes’ participation in women’s events. Reporting has also cited previously published comments from Wolfe, including a 2020 Facebook post in which she said she hoped to burn an American flag at the Tokyo Olympics; that post drew attention at the time.
Wolfe’s social posts celebrating Kirk’s death prompted public rebukes. Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova called the messages "sickening," and other athletes and commentators condemned the apparent celebration of a killing. Wolfe did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the social-media posts were not available for independent verification at the time of publication.
Kirk, 31, is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and two young children. President Trump posted on his platform Truth Social calling Kirk "great, and even legendary," and said his sympathies were with Kirk’s family. Utah’s public safety chief said investigators had "good video footage" of the person sought by law enforcement and that the gunman reportedly blended in with students on campus, escaped by jumping from a roof and fled the scene after the shooting.
Federal and local authorities have said the investigation is ongoing. The FBI released images of a person of interest and confirmed recovery of the firearm believed to have been used. Officials have urged anyone with information or additional footage to come forward as they continue to piece together the events leading up to and following the shooting.
The episode has intensified national debate over political violence and the role of public rhetoric, while renewing scrutiny of online behavior by public figures and athletes. Coverage and commentary have spanned a broad spectrum of reactions, from calls for accountability for those who promote or celebrate violence to concerns about protecting students and public events from attacks. Authorities have emphasized that determining motive and establishing a full timeline remain active elements of the investigation.