The Line Between Free Speech and Decency: Texas State University Expels Student for Mocking Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

In the shadow of tragedy, the line between expression and provocation can blur into something profoundly offensive. On September 16, 2025, Texas State University (TXST) expelled an unidentified male student after a viral video captured him reenacting the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an on-campus memorial vigil. The incident, which unfolded just days after Kirk’s shocking death on September 11, has ignited fierce debates over free speech, campus conduct, and the lingering divisions in American political discourse. As the nation grapples with the loss of a polarizing figure, this expulsion serves as a stark reminder of how grief can amplify the consequences of callous behavior.

Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), was a lightning rod in conservative circles. A vocal advocate for Christian nationalism, Second Amendment rights, and opposition to progressive policies like abortion and diversity initiatives, Kirk had built a multimillion-member organization that mobilized young Republicans across college campuses. His death came abruptly during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, where he was shot in the neck by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who was swiftly arrested and charged with murder. Robinson, a local resident with no prior connection to Kirk, allegedly acted out of ideological rage, shouting anti-conservative slurs as he fired. The assassination sent shockwaves through the right-wing ecosystem, prompting vigils, tributes, and vows from Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, to carry on his “battle cry” against “evildoers.”

At Texas State University in San Marcos, a chapter of TPUSA organized a somber memorial on September 15—the Monday following the shooting—to honor Kirk’s legacy. Dozens of students gathered around the iconic “Fighting Stallions” statue on the west end of the Quad, a central campus landmark. They held signs reading “Live Like Charlie, Remember the Sabbath” and “Pray for the Kirks,” while placing flowers, miniature American flags, and TPUSA flyers at the statue’s base. An American flag fluttered nearby as attendees shared prayers and stories of Kirk’s impact on their lives. The event was meant to foster unity and reflection amid national mourning, but it quickly devolved into confrontation when the unnamed student appeared.

Eyewitness accounts and the now-infamous video paint a disturbing picture. The young man, identifiable by his backpack and casual attire, approached the group cursing under his breath—”F*** Charlie Kirk, all my dead homies”—as he failed to draw initial attention from the crowd. Frustrated, he climbed onto the statue’s pedestal for visibility, announcing mockingly, “Hi, my name is Charlie Kirk.” What followed was a grotesque parody: He slapped his neck repeatedly, mimicking the fatal bullet’s impact, then slumped dramatically to the ground, writhing in feigned agony. As he “died,” he spat toward the mourners and flashed obscene gestures, eliciting gasps and shouts from the stunned participants. One attendee, sophomore Audri Castillo, later told reporters, “It was like he wanted to provoke us, to turn our grief into a spectacle. We were just trying to remember a man who inspired so many.”

The video exploded online, amassing over a million views within hours. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a staunch conservative and frequent Kirk ally, called for immediate action, framing the act not as protected speech but as a direct assault on human decency. Speaking at a bill-signing event in Forney, he elaborated: “Celebrating or mocking murder goes beyond the bounds of what is humane. Texas must send a clear signal that such behavior has no place in our society.” His words echoed a broader backlash against post-assassination “celebrations” that have swept social media, including posts from educators and even an American Airlines pilot who was grounded for similar taunts.

TXST President Kelly Damphousse responded with equal resolve. In a statement released Tuesday evening, he announced: “The university has identified the student in the disturbing video from Monday’s event. The individual is no longer a student at TXST. I will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses. Let me be clear: expressions that glorify violence or murder have no place here.” Damphousse emphasized that while TXST upholds free expression, the student’s actions crossed into disruption and incitement, violating the university’s code of conduct. Details on the expulsion process remain private, but sources indicate it was expedited due to the video’s virality and public pressure.

This isn’t an isolated case. Just days earlier, on September 13, an 18-year-old Texas Tech University student, Camryn Giselle Booker, was arrested and expelled after a similar outburst at a Kirk vigil in Lubbock. Video showed Booker chanting provocative slurs and dancing tauntingly near mourners, leading to an assault charge when the confrontation escalated. Governor Abbott celebrated her arrest, underscoring a pattern of zero-tolerance for perceived anti-conservative provocations. The Texas Education Agency is reviewing nearly 180 complaints against teachers for mocking Kirk online, while incidents like the vandalism of a TPUSA memorial in Phoenix by 19-year-old Ryder Corral have led to further arrests.

Yet, the expulsions have sparked a firestorm over free speech. Critics, including First Amendment advocates like Ari Shibley of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), argue that while the behavior was “reprehensible,” it doesn’t meet the threshold for punishment unless it incites imminent violence. “Simply getting in a public argument or celebrating a death—even offensively—is protected speech,” Shibley told reporters. On TXST’s campus, opinions are divided. Junior Federer supported the expulsion, saying, “It’s not just words; it’s desecrating a memorial.” But Audri Castillo countered, “He has a right to his opinions as long as he doesn’t incite violence. Expelling him just for mocking? That chills speech.”

Kirk’s assassination has laid bare America’s fractures. For his supporters, he was a patriot fighting “woke” indoctrination; for detractors, a provocateur whose rhetoric fueled division. Erika Kirk’s emotional vow to ignite a “global movement” in his name has mobilized conservatives, with TPUSA chapters hosting over 200 vigils nationwide. But the mocking incidents reveal a darker undercurrent: a willingness among some to revel in violence against ideological foes. As President Trump eulogized Kirk as a “warrior for freedom” and Vice President JD Vance called for unity against “political terror,” the TXST expulsion underscores an uncomfortable truth—grief doesn’t erase accountability, but it demands we navigate speech with care.

In the end, this story isn’t just about one student’s folly; it’s a microcosm of a nation wrestling with loss, ideology, and the limits of tolerance. As campuses reopen debates on conduct codes, one hopes the dialogue leads not to more expulsions, but to empathy. After all, in a democracy as divided as ours, mocking death doesn’t heal wounds—it deepens them.