Who was Charlie Kirk? Conservative activist who called gun deaths ‘worth it’ and said ‘America is full’ for Indians

Also read: 'Martyr for truth’: Trump pays tribute to MAGA activist Charlie Kirk, blames ‘radical left’ rhetoric

Kirk often responded to mass shootings by shifting the discussion toward “mental health” or broader cultural issues. He rejected calls for stricter gun control, stressing the importance of protecting Second Amendment rights.

"You will never live in a society when you have an armed citizenry and you won't have a single gun death," Kirk said, adding, “That is nonsense. It's drivel. But I am—I think it's worth it.”
"I think it's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational. Nobody talks like this. They live in a complete alternate universe."

He also stated that “having an armed citizenry comes with a price, and that is part of liberty,” and suggested measures such as placing armed guards in schools and "having more fathers in the home."

Kirk made these comments in the aftermath of a tragic shooting at the Christian Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, in April 2023, which claimed the lives of three children and three adults.

Kirk on Indian immigrants

He was the founder of Turning Point USA, became a lightning rod for political controversy, known as much for his sharp media presence as for his staunch conservatism.

He attracted international attention with his remark, “America does not need more visas for people from India,” which drew criticism from technology executives, academics, and members of the Indian diaspora.

Kirk’s post, “We’re full,” came during U.S.-India trade talks and was interpreted as targeting one of the most skilled immigrant communities in the United States.

Indian professionals, especially in STEM, healthcare, and education, have long been integral to the US workforce. Critics called Kirk’s comments xenophobic, arguing they could harm bilateral relations and disrupt critical innovation pipelines.

Who was Charlie Kirk? 

He was a leading voice of the combative, populist brand of conservatism that has come to define the Republican Party in the Trump era. A vocal Christian conservative known for his controversial remarks on gender, race, and politics, he founded Turning Point USA in 2012, according to AP.

The group focused on mobilizing young conservatives, particularly on liberal-leaning college campuses, where many GOP figures had previously been hesitant to engage.

His final appearance was at Utah Valley University, the first stop on his planned national speaking series, The American Comeback Tour, which was set to visit schools from Colorado to Virginia.

Kirk’s conservative ideology was closely aligned with Trump: he supported the former president’s false claims of election fraud in 2020 and frequently criticized migrants and transgender individuals.

At university events, he invited students to engage in quick-fire debates, many of which went viral online, particularly those involving progressive opponents. It was during one such event in Utah on Wednesday that he was shot in the neck, a moment widely condemned across the political spectrum.

Born in 1993, Kirk grew up in the Chicago suburbs and traced his first political awakening to Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential win, when many classmates celebrated but he did not. He briefly attended Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, before dropping out to pursue conservative activism, a decision he later embraced as part of his persona.

"If you want to stand out, don’t go to college," he often told young audiences. "It worked for me." At 18, he co-founded Turning Point USA, a student-led organization aimed at spreading conservative ideals on campuses he described as dominated by “liberal orthodoxy.”