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Pat McAfee was among those with ties to the sports world who spoke after the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The former Indianapolis Colts Punter and the current media personality said that Kirk’s name was “synonymous with having the courage to talk what you believe and seek/welcome conversations with those with whom you disagree.”
While McAfee warned that he was not inherently political, he added that events that took place at Utah Valley University -Campus left him startled and distressed.
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Pat McAfee under Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend 16 February 2024 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)
“I’m not a political person, but I am a proud American citizen and today was surprising, sad and crazy at the same time ..,” McAfee wrote on X. “I’m aware that I’m a little naive about how crazy it all has become, but seeing a man being chased and killed in daylight because of his opinions made me disgusted and destroyed.”
“It can’t be what we actually are or become like a country .. I think the good people will always surpass the evil people, but cursed … Today was an alarming day in our country’s history.”
Live Updates: Charlie Kirk Murder of sparks Manhunt who shoot suspects
During Thursday’s edition of ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” the 38-year-old repeated that he is not firmly rooted in the political sphere, but he questioned what the deadly shooting says about the state of society as a whole.
“I’m not in the policy world, and I know there are much more serious things out there … But in the sporting track I live in, it is not to hear the other side. So when I learned about Charlie Kirk on the internet – once again, I did not meet him, I did not know him personally, I thought it was admirable to hear someone who was so firmly in their own faith, but would not know him.
“So yesterday, every time we see a public execution of this man happen in all the palms in real time … you can’t help but wonder … first all he has family, he has children. But are we also a society that really wants to be? Is that who we are? Is that what we want to be? Just strictly because we think we are better than the other? Pivot -at the moment we on this September 2025, to have a 12th September 2001 moment.
Charlie Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, speaks during a Turning Point USA -believing summit conference 26 July 2024 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Mr President Donald Trump Announced Kirk’s death on Wednesday.
“The great and even legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the heart of youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by everyone, especially me, and now he is no longer with us. Melania and my sympathy go out to his beautiful wife Erika and family. Charlie, we love you!” Trump wrote about truth social.
Charlie Kirk, right, gives the thumb with Donald Trump. Kirk was shot at the neck during a conservative campus -tour stop in Utah, officials said on September 10, 2025. (Associated Press)
Since the deadly recording, images of a person of interest have been released and the FBI announced a reward of $ 100,000 for information resulting in an arrest.
Trump also confirmed that Kirk will be posted to the presidential medal of freedom.
