Popular podcast host Joe Rogan and actor Charlie Sheen reacted in real time on an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” posted on Thursday to the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.
Kirk was assassinated by a gunman at Utah Valley University (UVU) on Wednesday while speaking at an event. Rogan expressed shock on his podcast, while Sheen speculated on the reason for the assassination and called it unfair.
“Should we bring this up? I guess we have to. So, this just happened. We just found out that Charlie Kirk got shot,” Rogan said.
“It’s fucking awful,” Sheen said after a brief pause.
Rogan asked his producer whether Kirk had died and said someone at his studio said he did. His producer said he was not sure yet.
Both Rogan and Sheen appeared to take deep breaths. “Whoa!” the host exclaimed.
“Murdered for having a different opinion from somebody else,” Sheen said. “Different ideology from somebody else … beliefs that didn’t align.”
Rogan’s producer confirmed Kirk had passed.
“Rest in peace,” Sheen said. “Fuck!”
“Fuck … He doesn’t deserve that,” Sheen added. “Nobody deserves that.”
Authorities are still looking for the perpetrator after two subjects were arrested and released. The FBI’s Salt Lake City field office published surveillance photos Thursday of an individual of interest in the assassination.
Authorities found ammunition from a rifle in a wooded area near the UVU assassination with messaging described as pro-transgender and anti-fascist, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing anonymous sources.
A single gunshot rang out while Kirk was talking to a large crowd of students. Videos posted online showed the TPUSA founder under a tent as he debated a student about mass shooters and transgender ideology prior to the gunshot.