Hamline Student Caught on Video Saying He 'Clapped' After Charlie Kirk Was Shot; University Condemns Violence

A student at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, was filmed during a campus exchange saying he was glad conservative commentator Charlie Kirk had been shot and that he "clapped" after seeing video of the attack, according to footage recorded by Turning Point USA volunteers and reported by Frontlines TPUSA.

What Happened

The encounter took place while Turning Point USA volunteers were tabling on the Hamline campus. In the video, an unnamed student approached the group and asked, "Why shouldn't I be glad that [Charlie Kirk] got shot? Like honestly?" After a brief discussion about gun policy, the student repeated his position and used profanity to describe Kirk's statements.

"I want — I'm for the Second Amendment — I'm just glad Charlie Kirk got shot because he said some really stupid s---," the student said in the recorded exchange.

When asked whether he had ever said "stupid s---" himself, the student began to answer before being interrupted. He later said, "I watched the video of him getting shot in the neck and I clapped," and added, "I don't think it is [sad]. I think bad people deserve to die."

Context And Accuracy

Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while holding an event at Utah Valley University. The killing left Kirk's wife and two young children in mourning and sparked widespread attention and condemnation. The Hamline student argued that Kirk "got what he preached," accusing him of advocating violence and dismissing empathy. While Kirk has defended preserving the Second Amendment and criticized the use of the word "empathy" on a 2022 podcast, he has not been shown to have said the specific phrase "empathy is a weakness."

Other Campus Incidents

The Hamline clip is one of several incidents reported on college campuses after Kirk's killing. In the days following the shooting, a Clemson University student was filmed mocking Kirk, and at Texas Tech a student who disrupted a campus vigil and shouted about the shooting was later expelled. A Chicago public school teacher was also accused of making a finger-gun gesture to her neck during a protest and was photographed on video.

Institutional Response

Hamline University issued a brief statement: "Hamline University does not condone violence in any form." The university has not identified the student publicly in the footage. Media outlets that reported the Hamline incident cited video captured by Turning Point USA volunteers and public postings.

Why This Matters

Public celebrations of a fatal attack on a public figure have intensified debate over campus conduct, political polarization, and how institutions respond to threats or endorsement of violence. The recordings have prompted disciplinary reviews at some schools and public scrutiny on how universities address free speech, safety, and harassment.

Note: This article summarizes reported footage and statements captured on video. Quotations are taken from the recorded exchange as reported by the outlets that first published the footage.