San Marcos, TX — September 17, 2025

A student at Texas State University has been expelled after disturbing footage surfaced showing him simulating the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a campus event held by the university’s Turning Point USA chapter.

The video, which quickly went viral on social media, captures the male student approaching the crowd gathered at an on-campus memorial and engaging in what many are calling a vile display of political hatred. In the footage, the student is seen yelling profanities, grabbing his neck to mimic being shot, and collapsing to the ground as if enacting a violent death. Prior to the act, the student stood in front of a statue and declared, “Hi, my name is Charlie Kirk,” before proceeding with the simulated assassination to the horror of onlookers.

The event, organized in honor of the late Charlie Kirk—founder of Turning Point USA and a respected conservative voice—was meant to be a solemn remembrance of a man known for his staunch defense of American values, free speech, and traditional principles. Kirk, a father of two murdered at the age of 31, sending shockwaves through conservative circles and beyond.

Governor Greg Abbott responded swiftly to the footage, demanding immediate action from the university.

“Hey Texas State. This conduct is not accepted at our schools,” Abbott posted on X. “Expel this student immediately. Mocking assassination must have consequences.”

In response, Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse confirmed that the student had been identified and was no longer enrolled at the institution.

“I will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses,” Damphousse stated. “It is antithetical to our TXST values. The individual is no longer a student at TXST.”

Due to federal privacy regulations, the university did not release the student’s name or further details related to disciplinary proceedings.

While Turning Point USA has not issued an official statement, the silence from left-leaning campus groups has drawn criticism from conservatives who view the incident as indicative of a growing tolerance for anti-conservative hostility in higher education.

This expulsion follows a similar incident just 24 hours earlier at Texas Tech University, where 18-year-old student Camryn Giselle Booker was arrested and expelled after shouting inflammatory comments at a separate vigil for Kirk. Booker, who was caught on video yelling, “F— y’all homie dead, he got shot in the head,” was charged with misdemeanor assault, according to the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office. Texas Tech confirmed that Booker is no longer a student.

These back-to-back incidents have intensified the debate surrounding free speech, campus safety, and the broader climate of hostility toward conservative students and public figures. Many on the right are raising alarms that universities—once bastions of civil discourse—are becoming breeding grounds for radical intolerance when it comes to conservative views.

Conservative commentators and supporters of Turning Point USA have praised the universities for taking action but are calling for deeper accountability and cultural change on college campuses. The question now is whether this troubling trend of political aggression against the right will continue, or if institutions will finally begin to uphold standards that protect all viewpoints from violent mockery and hatred.