Florida politicians condemn political violence after Charlie Kirk shot, killed

Following the shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk on Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis called in Miami for an end to “increasing levels of political violence in this country” as he and other Florida politicians condemned the attack.

Kirk, founder and president of the youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot at a conservative youth political event at the Utah Valley University on Wednesday and was reportedly in critical condition around the time DeSantis spoke during a west Miami-Dade press conference. President Donald Trump said shortly after on social media that the “Great and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead.” Turning Point USA confirmed that Kirk had died.

“The way to resolve political disputes is not through violence, and we see increasing levels of political violence in this country,” DeSantis said. He was in Miami to discuss the environment.

He said the attack on Kirk, — carried out “apparently in a targeted way” — represented an attack on “the idea that the way we resolve these things is through reason, debate and elections.”

DeSantis said he and the first lady had known Kirk, 31, for “over a decade.” He added: “This is not what we want for our country going forward.”

“He’s somebody that a lot of people have a great regard for,” DeSantis said. “Charlie would go to college campuses, and he would articulate views that were very much outside of what most of the professors were offering or what the campus culture was offering.”

The shooting is the latest instance of political violence in the country.

In June, two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers were shot — one died, along with her husband. A man broke in and set fire to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s state-provided mansion in April. One-time Republican kingmaker and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s Cybertruck electric vehicles were torched in March. Republican President Donald Trump was shot in the ear last July. Police apprehended a second suspect several weeks later who is on trial this week in Fort Pierce on charges that he planned to assassinate Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course.

Citing the rise of political threats, Florida lawmakers passed a bi-partisan bill this year to shield Florida congressional and state lawmakers’ addresses —a strong curtailing of longstanding public records laws in Florida.

“Vulnerability to such threats may discourage residents of this state from seeking elected office in order to protect themselves and their families,” the law, which went into effect July 1, states.

Outpouring of Support

South Florida lawmakers across the political spectrum took to social media to condemn the shooting Wednesday.

• “Political violence has NO place in our country,” Republican U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart wrote in a statement. “I hope those responsible are found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

• “Political violence has no place in our country. This attack on conservative leader Charlie Kirk is utterly reprehensible,” Republican U.S. Rep. and former Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez posted on social media. 

• “Charlie Kirk died a hero. He was a true warrior, assassinated for his ideas and for fighting for what he believed in,” Republican Congresswoman. María Elvira Salazar wrote.

• “Political violence is never the answer and has no place in our country,” Palm Beach area Democratic Congresswoman Lois Frankel echoed. 

Orlando-area Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost — who has made gun control a central tenet of his campaigns — wrote on BlueSky, “Every single person deserves to be safe from gun violence no matter where they are in our country or what their political beliefs are.”

Other Florida Republicans touted their personal friendship with the well-known conservative pundit.

Secretary of State and Florida’s former senator Marco Rubio took on a personal tone in a post on X: “Jeanette and I are devastated. Charlie Kirk's commitment to America's future generations and sense of patriotism will resonate for decades to come.”

Senator Rick Scott wrote on social media that he was “completely heartbroken by the tragic loss of my friend and fellow patriot, Charlie Kirk, in a despicable, targeted act of violence.”

Trump-backed gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds wrote: “I am honored to have been able to call him my friend.”

The Miami-Dade GOP wrote on Facebook they were praying for “a time where all political violence ends.”

Miami-Dade Democrats also denounced the shooting, but also used it as an opportunity to criticize Republican lawmakers who celebrated a ruling against Florida’s open carry ban earlier Wednesday.

“We denounce the deranged person who shot Charlie Kirk as strongly as we denounce Republicans in Tallahassee who are cheering for open carry,” the party wrote.

This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 5:29 PM.