The U.S. House of Representatives erupted in tension following a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old conservative activist fatally shot at Utah Valley University. Speaker Mike Johnson led the tribute, but a request for prayer by Rep. Lauren Boebert drew vocal objections from Democrats. The situation escalated when Rep. Anna Paulina Luna shouted accusations at Democrats, blaming them for Kirk’s death. In response, Democrats called for gun reform, referencing a Colorado school shooting earlier that same day.

The exchange underscored deep political rifts over gun violence and political rhetoric. Republicans accused Democrats of fostering hostility, while Democrats pushed for legislative action. Rep. Cory Mills introduced a resolution condemning the shooting as a “political assassination,” later revised after Kirk’s death was confirmed.

Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of Donald Trump, was shot during a Q&A session under a tent. The gunman, reportedly 200 yards away, fired a single shot that struck Kirk in the neck. Despite emergency efforts, he later died. Just moments before the shooting, Kirk had addressed a controversial question about transgender mass shooters—adding fuel to the national debate about speech, violence, and accountability.