New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud called for tougher gun legislation following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at an event Wednesday on the campus of Utah Valley University.
Kirk, the 31‑year‑old founder of Turning Point USA, was struck by a single bullet around 12:20 p.m. local time while speaking at an event in Orem and later died. Law enforcement officials said Thursday they had recovered a weapon and possessed what they described as "good footage" of the gunman, whom investigators characterized as being "college age," and a manhunt remained underway.
Cloud took to X in the aftermath of the killing, writing in capital letters, "I AM TIIIRRREEEED," and urging lawmakers to enact new firearms legislation. "We need legislation surrounding our firearms. NO FAMILY deserves to lose a loved one when these are CONTROLLABLES," she wrote, adding that the Second Amendment "was written for guns that took powder. Not military grade weapons. We’re the leading country in gun related deaths."
Cloud also referenced a separate shooting in a Denver suburb on Wednesday that left three teenagers hospitalized, including the suspected shooter, and urged that public outrage over Kirk's death be matched for victims of school shootings. In a subsequent post she criticized continuing patterns of offering prayers instead of pursuing legislative action: "Continuing to send families prayers instead of voting for legislation to ACTUALLY protect those families and yours is reckless," she wrote. "Gun violence doesn’t discriminate. Doesn’t matter what dumba-- party you’re a part of. How much money you have. Etc."
The attack drew swift reactions across the political spectrum. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Kirk, a married father of two, would be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him "a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people." Trump said his "prayers are with his wonderful wife, Erika, and his beautiful children."
Kirk had been a prominent voice in conservative activism through Turning Point USA, which he founded. The shooting took place during an on‑campus speaking event, and university officials closed and secured parts of the facility as local and federal law enforcement investigated. Authorities provided few public details about the suspect or motive as the search continued.
The shooting has reopened national debate over gun laws, with public figures across sports, media and politics weighing in. Cloud's posts reflect a broader push from some athletes and activists for legislative responses to mass and school shootings, while other commentators and officials have emphasized law enforcement, mental‑health resources and campus security measures. Investigators have not publicly tied the Utah shooting to any particular ideological motive.
Authorities urged anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continued. Notices from local law enforcement advised residents to remain vigilant and reported that they were following multiple leads in an effort to locate the suspected shooter and clarify the circumstances of the attack.