SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — A Texas State University student is no longer enrolled at the institution after a viral video showed him mocking the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a campus vigil. The expulsion on Tuesday came swiftly after the video circulated online, drawing a sharp rebuke from Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
The incident has ignited a debate on the university's campus regarding the limits of free speech.
The Incident
The video, filmed during a memorial event held by the campus Turning Point USA chapter on Monday, shows a male student graphically imitating Kirk's death. He is seen slapping his neck to mimic being shot, falling to the ground near a statue where students had gathered, and spitting on the ground.
During the confrontation, the student can be heard saying "Charlie Kirk got hit in the neck" and using expletives. Another student, Hayden Allard, who spoke with the individual before the incident, said the student told him, "F--- Charlie Kirk, all my dead homies."
Official Response and Campus Debate
The video prompted an immediate reaction from Governor Greg Abbott, who called for the student's removal on the social media platform X. "This conduct is not accepted in our schools. Expel this student immediately," Abbott posted. "Mocking assassination must have consequences."
By Tuesday evening, Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse confirmed the student was no longer enrolled. "I will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses. It is antithetical to our TXST values," Damphousse said in a statement. He also emphasized that "the actions of one person do not reflect our entire community."
While the university's action was decisive, some students argued it infringed on free speech, noting the incident occurred in "The Quad," a designated free speech area on campus. "I think he should not be expelled just for having his opinions," said student Felix Federer.
National Context
The incident at Texas State is part of a broader, polarized reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, 31, who was fatally shot last week while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Across the country, similar incidents have been reported:
- A student at Texas Tech University was arrested and expelled for taunting people at a similar vigil.
- The Texas Education Agency is reviewing approximately 180 complaints against educators for allegedly inappropriate social media comments about Kirk's death.
- American Airlines grounded a pilot who mocked the killing online.
Tyler Robinson, 22, has been arrested and charged with murder in Kirk's death. Officials report that bullets used in the shooting were engraved with anti-fascist messages.
