Following the shooting of right-wing activist and Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, while politicians on both sides of the aisle offered prayers, the chairman of the Utah Republican Party put out a statement blaming the attack on liberalism on college campuses.
"The attack on Charlie Kirk and free speech is evil, pure and simple," said the statement put out by Robert Axson. "The hate, violence and evil being peddled by radical extremists has no place in this country! Schools and social media have become breeding grounds for liberal hate. Enough!"
This statement triggered immediate backlash from commenters on social media.
"Despicable responses from the GOP in a fragile moment," wrote Utah state Sen. Nate Blouin. "Universities in Utah by order of the legislature are not allowed to regulate guns on campus. To make political allegations before any information is known suggests a deep desire to fan the flames rather than find solutions."
"In a moment where every single person on both of sides of the aisle are unanimously condemning political violence, this feels like exactly the wrong message," wrote Deseret News contributing writer and political strategist Steve Pierce.
"If a man gets shot and your immediate first reaction is to blame your political opponents, maybe YOU'RE the problem," wrote University of Utah College Democrats founder Mason McCann.
"So totally tone deaf and just the kind of mentality that leads to this kind of thing. Please delete," wrote former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica Luis Moreno.
"Third sentence is not helpful, at all," wrote Boise, Idaho City Council member Jordan Morales, who spent one semester at Utah Valley University. "Meet the moment, this isn't it. We must disagree better as [Utah Gov. Spencer Cox] would say. Don't know who Robert is tbh."
