Kamal Ghorui
A viral TikTok-style video featuring a fashion transition has sparked backlash after using audio linked to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.The controversy began after a clip circulated online showing three women in casual clothes standing in a room. Moments later, the video cuts to them dressed in party-style outfits. The transition is timed to a short six-second audio clip said to capture the final moments of Kirk’s killing, including his voice and the sound of the fatal shot, followed by screams in the background. Kirk’s last words: “Counting or not counting gang violence” can be heard in the clip.The use of such audio in a aesthetic video format stirred a row. Turning Point USA, the conservative group founded by Kirk took to X to condemn the trend.In a statement posted on X, the organisation said: “Turning Point USA condemns in the strongest terms the TikTok audio trend that uses or references the assassination of our founder, Charlie Kirk, for entertainment.”The statement continued: “Charlie Kirk was the victim of a real act of political violence. Turning that into viral content is grotesque and dehumanizing. There is nothing harmless, funny, or acceptable about it. It reflects a culture that trivializes violence and reduces real human loss to a punchline.”Calling for action, the group added: “This has no place on TikTok. Or anywhere. This audio needs to be removed.”The video in question appears to follow a familiar social media trend where users transition between outfits or moods in sync with a dramatic audio cue. However, using audio tied to a violent death crossed a line for many social media users, especially when presented in an entertainment context like on TikTok or Instagram.Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s wife, has also condemned recent trends and memes which involve pictures of Charlie used in a humrous way. Erika now leads TPUSA.Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, while addressing college students, after being shot in the neck by a sniper. His alleged killer, 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson, was later arrested. US vice president JD Vance attended his memorial service and President Donald Trump also called Kirk a martyr and a victim of “left-violence.”
