A moment of silence in the House of Representatives for Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist slain Wednesday during a Utah campus event, broke down into shouting after Republicans clashed with Democrats over how to honor him.
Kirk, 31, founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated at Utah Valley University when a gunman fired from roughly 200 yards away, striking him in the neck.
President Donald Trump later confirmed Kirk’s death, calling him “legendary” and ordering flags flown at half-staff nationwide.
House Floor Tensions
On Wednesday evening, lawmakers rose for a moment of silence. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) interrupted the silence to call for a spoken prayer.
“Silent prayers get silent results,” Boebert declared, prompting audible jeers from Democratic members, according to reporters inside the chamber.
An unbelievable moment on the House floor.
Rep. Lauren Boebert requests a moment of prayer for Charlie Kirk.
Democrats can be heard shouting “no!”
Then, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna shouts back “y’all caused this!” pic.twitter.com/puEobizZTk
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 10, 2025
Some Democrats shouted “No!” and made reference to another mass shooting that occurred the same day.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) shot back, shouting expletives at the Democrats.
“You f***ing own this!” Luna yelled. “Y’all caused this!”
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) quickly gaveled down the uproar, restoring order after several tense moments.
Video of the exchange, shared by Townhall.com and C-SPAN, spread widely on social media.
Republicans accused Democrats of disrespect during a time of national mourning.
“This is disgusting,” one GOP lawmaker told Politico on background.
Context of Kirk’s Death
Kirk was killed while on his American Comeback Tour, a series of campus events where he hosted debates and Q&A sessions with students.
The married father of two young children had become a leading figure in conservative youth politics since founding Turning Point USA in 2012.
