A co-owner of a Cincinnati barbecue restaurant has been forced out after mocking the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Aaron Sharpe, co-owner of Lucius Q, called Kirk a “piece of s—” in a Facebook post shortly after the 31-year-old was shot Wednesday at Utah Valley University.
Vile Comments
When a user posted prayers for Kirk, Sharpe replied, “Good riddance. What a piece of s—.”
He later doubled down, writing, “If you think that threats of social media attacks on me or my business will in any way keep me silent… you are sorely mistaken.”
Screenshots of the posts quickly spread across social media.
By Thursday, several of Lucius Q’s business partners announced they were cutting ties.
The restaurant soon issued a statement saying Sharpe was “no longer associated with the business.”
Aaron Sharpe
“While it is a difficult process to remove a minority owner… this person is no longer involved with Lucius Q in any way,” the company said.
Partners Walk Away
Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium, home of Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati, ended its partnership with the restaurant.
“FC Cincinnati and TQL Stadium expect our vendors and partners to uphold the values of respect and tolerance,” the stadium said.
Lucius Q also operates inside the Gatherall food hall in Norwood. Venue officials said they are reviewing legal options.
Avril Bleh Meat Market, a longtime supplier, also severed its relationship.
“We never condone violence of any sort,” the family-owned butcher wrote on Facebook.
One family member added: “No amount of money will ever be worth it.”
Public Apology
Lucius Q issued a second statement apologizing to Kirk’s family.
“As husbands, fathers, wives and mothers ourselves, we’d like to personally apologize,” the statement read.
The business promised to “earn back” trust in the Cincinnati community.
Social Media Backlash
The restaurant’s X account received more than 4,000 angry comments after the posts surfaced.
Dozens of one-star reviews also appeared on Google Reviews.
Despite the announcement, some critics doubted how quickly the restaurant could remove an owner.
“You can’t get rid of a partial owner that fast,” one man commented on Facebook.
Others dismissed the move as “too late.”
Sharpe’s Background
Sharpe had been described as a “minority owner,” though past reports suggested a larger role.
A 2019 article noted he helped launch Lucius Q in 2018 with friends Jeff Keate and Shane Spears.
Aaron Sharpe
The restaurant was later featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in 2020.
Sharpe previously worked as a station manager for WNKU, a Cincinnati radio station.
He also served as a DJ and announcer for the Cincinnati Reds.
A now-deleted LinkedIn profile described him as a “communicator” and “community builder.”
