UFC’s Sean Strickland on Charlie Kirk Shooting: “The Best Way to Vote Is with a Gun”
UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland has responded to the shocking shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, offering his perspective on political violence and the internet’s role in desensitizing society to tragic events.
Sean Strickland Reacts to Charlie Kirk Shooting
Kirk, founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck during a campus appearance Wednesday afternoon as part of his American Comeback Tour. The 31-year-old was reportedly discussing shooting and gang violence when a single gunshot rang out near the food court quad. Charlie Kirk was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, with law enforcement confirming a suspect identified as Michael Mallinson is in custody.
The incident prompted immediate campus-wide lockdowns at Utah Valley University and surrounding schools, while political figures from President Donald Trump to Vice President JD Vance called for prayers. The shooting occurred just two minutes into Kirk’s “Prove Me Wrong” campus event, which had already generated controversy with nearly 1,000 signatures on a petition opposing his appearance.
Strickland, known for his outspoken political commentary on social media, responded to the news with characteristic bluntness about modern society’s relationship with violence. The former UFC middleweight champion referenced classical philosophy while commenting on what he perceives as widespread numbness to digital-age tragedy.
“Yeah man its f*cked up but a very wise roman philosopher once said ‘The best way to vote is with a gun,'” Strickland wrote.
The UFC fighter expanded on his observations about society’s relationship with violence in the digital era: “Im just numb to seeing people die online The entire world watched a Ukrainian girl get murdered Everyday someone is getting murdered live streamed. We see Russians merked by drones Just numb to tragedy in 2025 Welcome to the internet The erosion of humanity one reel at a time.”
The fighter has previously made controversial statements about gun rights and political violence, including defending Second Amendment rights and expressing views on self-defense. Strickland faced Twitter suspension in 2022 following gun control commentary after the Uvalde school shooting. His history includes legal issues involving firearms, with the Department of Justice returning confiscated weapons after what he described as convictions for “violent crimes using a deadly weapon.”
Charlie Kirk has passed away
At a Turning Point USA Faith event in April 2023, Charlie Kirk said that while an armed citizenry inevitably incurs “some gun deaths every single year,” that cost is “worth it” to preserve the Second Amendment. He argued, “You will never live in a society when you have an armed citizenry and you won’t have a single gun death. That is nonsense… 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.“
Kirk’s shooting represents another incident in what authorities describe as rising political violence. The Associated Press confirmed Charlie Kirk has passed away. With law enforcement sources indicating the severity of his neck wound. Utah Valley University closed its campus for the day, while FBI Director Kash Patel announced federal agents would assist the investigation.
The shooting has prompted widespread political reactions, with Democratic figures including California Governor Gavin Newsom condemning the violence despite ideological differences with Kirk.
