The man who was questioning Charlie Kirk the moment he was shot on Wednesday spoke out about the assassination, calling it a "tragedy" that's "hard to grapple with."
Hunter Kozak, a student at Utah Valley University, explained on Instagram that his exchange with Kirk came after he made a recent video responding to a question the activist posted on X last month following the horrific school shooting in Minneapolis.
In that post, Kirk wrote: "The suspected Minneapolis school shooter included a 'Defend Equality' sticker in his manifesto that included a rifle over a trans flag. He also allegedly pursued a legal name change to Robin, his apparent trans name. He wrote 'Kill Donald Trump' on the weapon used in the school shooting. First Nashville, now this. How many times makes a trend?"
Kozak disputed Kirk's characterization of transgenders and argued they are "surprisingly and extremely nonviolent."
When he noticed Kirk was set to begin The American Comeback Tour at his campus, he came ready to discuss the issue with him in person.
As he explained in the video, "people have obviously pointed to the irony that the point I was trying to make is how peaceful the left was … right before he got shot."
Kozak then called out those "who think this is the answer."
"You sick f****** psychos," he said. "It’s not."
Despite their political differences, Kozak, a married father of two, lamented the dehumanization of Kirk and stressed this is not the way forward.
"As much as I disagree with Charlie Kirk … he is still a human being. Have we forgotten that?”
the last person to talk to Charlie Kirk speaks out, Hunter Kozak, he was a student at the Utah Valley University debating him
— SOUND | Victor Baez (@itsavibe) September 12, 2025
Final exchange:
“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” Hunter
“Too many,” Kirk
"Five... Do you… https://t.co/TBeXmLHON5 pic.twitter.com/EODYNx7Dq8
"It’s awful and a father doesn’t have his kids anymore. Charlie had two kids and a wife. I have two kids and a wife … his 1-year-old boy will grow up without memories of his dad. It’s a tragedy and it’s hard to grapple with. I’m part of a community that’s struggling to grapple with it right now.”