Charlie Kirk was killed while hosting a debate at Utah Valley University.
The Turning Point USA co-founder and commentator was speaking before a large crowd when he was shot in the neck on Wednesday, September 10.
Disturbing footage from the scene shows Kirk flinching in his seat as the crowd of around 3,000 people erupted in panic. Many who were there have since recounted the terrifying moment.
“We all dropped to the ground, and I want to say we sat like that for about 30 to 45 seconds, and then everyone around us got up and started running,” Emma Pitts, a reporter for Deseret News who attended the debate in Utah, told the BBC.
Authorities made an arrest regarding Kirk’s killing.
The alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah, shot Kirk from a rooftop about 200 yards from where he was speaking.
People reports that “Robinson faces single counts of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and violent offense in the presence of a child, along with two counts each of obstruction of justice and witness tampering.”
According to the publication, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced at a press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 16 that prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
Right after the targeted attack, disturbing videos of the father of two’s killing appeared on social media, many of them uncensored, showing blood pouring from the gunshot wound.
They show Charlie Kirk spreading his arms before dropping the mic and collapsing, and neuropsychologist Derek Van Schaik explained why his body reacted that way.
“Many have speculated his arms moving upward towards his chest is due to a phenomenon known in forensic science as decorticate posturing,” he explained on YouTube recently. “However, that’s unlikely.”
Van Schaik explained the posture happens when “higher brain areas like the cerebral hemispheres are badly damaged,” which “cuts off voluntary motor control.”
“An immediate loss of blood to the brain does not typically result in immediate decorticate posturing,” he went on to reveal, however. “Instead, loss of blood to the brain would have led to rapid unconsciousness and flaccid collapse.
“Therefore, his arms instantly moving up like that after being hit was apparently due to an instant involuntary defensive reflex.”
Comparing the movement to how someone might react instinctively when scared, Van Schaik added that Kirk probably didn’t realize he was about to die when he responded like that.
“When someone suffers a catastrophic wound to the neck that destroys a carotid artery and jugular vein, the mind only has a fleeting window to possibly register what happened,” he began.
“However, in Charlie’s case, and after analyzing the footage with a digital timer, he was conscious for no more than four tenths of a second after impact. Far too fast for his brain to even register what had happened to him.”
According to Van Schaik, the right-wing activist experienced “no panic, no dread” in his final moments.
“Only an abrupt blackout,” Van Schaik continued. “It was neurologically impossible for him to psychologically realise anything was wrong at all.”
Since Kirk lost consciousness very quickly, his brain had no time to perceive the pain.
“He absolutely did not know he was shot,” the neuroscientist concluded.
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