Is Charlie Kirk’s death part of bigger problem in US society? What a poll shows

A sweeping majority of Americans view the assassination of Charlie Kirk as a symptom of deeper issues within U.S. society, according to a new YouGov poll.

Most also reject the idea of celebrating a public figure’s death — and a substantial portion think the cost of gun deaths eclipses the need to safeguard the Second Amendment.

The survey was conducted on Sept. 11, one day after Kirk — an influential conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA — was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. In an interview Sept. 12 with Fox News, President Donald Trump said “with a high degree of certainty” the accused shooter is in custody.

Numerous public officials on both sides of the aisle condemned the attack and denounced all forms of political violence. Trump extolled Kirk as “great, and even legendary” and ordered all American flags to be flown at half mast until Sept. 14.

Part of bigger problem

In the poll, 79% of respondents said the shooting of Kirk “represents a broader problem in American society,” while just 7% said it “is an isolated event.” An additional 14% said they were not sure.

Here, there was a consensus across the political spectrum.

Most Republicans (88%), Democrats (76%) and independents (73%) said the activist’s killing is indicative of larger social issues.

A group of experts previously told McClatchy News that Kirk’s death does appear to be part of a worrying surge in political violence nationwide.

“This is a serious and dangerous trend,” Sean Westwood, a government professor at Dartmouth College and director of the Polarization Research Lab, said.

Reaction to public figure’s death

The survey — which sampled 3,926 U.S. adults — also asked if it is acceptable “for a person to be happy about the death of a public figure they oppose.”

A majority, 56%, said this is always unacceptable, while 22% said it’s usually unacceptable. Much smaller shares said it is always acceptable (3%) or usually acceptable (6%).

While most partisans said it is always or usually unacceptable, a clear split appeared over which is the case.

A strong majority of GOP respondents, 77%, said being satisfied with a public figure’s death is always unacceptable, while 53% of independents and 38% of Democrats agreed.

This question comes after social media erupted with a wide range of reactions to Kirk’s assassination. Many users expressed heartfelt condolences, particularly for his wife and two young children. Others took pleasure in the demise of a perceived political adversary.

For some in the latter camp, the backlash has been swift. Employees around the country have been investigated or put on leave for their reactions posted to social media, according to The Hill.

A South Carolina teacher was fired for posting: “Thoughts and prayers to his children but IMHO America became greater today. There I said it.”

Likewise for a Middle Tennessee State University professor, who said in a Facebook post she had “ZERO sympathy” after Kirk was killed, McClatchy News reported.

MSNBC contributor Matthew Dowd was also let go after he made “insensitive and unacceptable” on-air comments about Kirk, the network said.

“He was constantly pushing this sort of hate speech aimed at certain groups,” Dowd said on Sept. 10. “And I always go back to: Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.”

Rep. Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican, said in a post on X that he would seek to “ban for life of every post or commenter that belittled the assassination of Charlie Kirk.”

Gun deaths

The YouGov poll, which has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points, also asked respondents one more question: “Do you think protecting the Second Amendment right to own guns is worth some gun deaths?”

A 47% plurality said no, while 30% said yes and 23% said they were not sure.

This question — which strikes at the heart of a perennial issue in American politics, frequently reignited by recurring mass shootings — sparked an intense partisan divide.

Seventy-six percent of Democrats said protecting the Second Amendment is not worth gun deaths, while a 45% plurality of independents and just 21% of Republicans agreed.

Kirk himself was an ardent supporter of the Second Amendment.

“I think it’s worth it 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,” he said in 2023, according to The Guardian. “That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”

In 2024, there were 16,567 firearm-related deaths, excluding suicides, in the U.S., marking a decline for the third year in a row, according to The Trace, a non-profit news organization dedicated to reporting on gun violence. At the same time, firearms remained the number one cause of death for young people.

This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 8:22 AM with the headline "Is Charlie Kirk’s death part of bigger problem in US society? What a poll shows."