Sen. Markwayne Mullin honors Charlie Kirk, denounces fatal shooting

Sen. Markwayne Mullin honored Charlie Kirk as a devoted Christian, husband, and father, condemning his killing as senseless political violence, and urged Oklahomans to live without fear.

Thursday, September 11th 2025, 7:02 am

By: Christian Hans

OKLAHOMA CITY -

In the wake of the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university event in Utah, American lawmakers are speaking out in tribute to Kirk and against a rise in political violence.

News 9 spoke to members of Oklahoma's delegation to Washington, D.C., on Thursday, including Sen. Markwayne Mullin, to learn more about their response to the deadly incident.

Could you share your thoughts about who Charlie was and your relationship to him?

Mullin: The biggest loss is his wife and kids, because the guy was not only a devoted Christian and believed in his love for Jesus Christ and wanted to share with everybody, but the guy was a devoted father and a devoted husband. That was his biggest passion in life. Today, they're waking up with a huge hole in their heart. I lost a friend. She lost the love of her life, and they lost a father, over what? A senseless act because you didn't agree with his political views? I mean, what threat was Charlie to you? People said, unfortunately, on MSNBC last night, Matthew Dowd goes out there and says, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words lead to hateful actions. Charlie Kirk never said anything hateful to anybody. Actually, he gave people a voice to give their opposing views and openly debated them and spoke to them, not in a condescending, hateful manner, but a manner that was either based on political solid ground or biblical truths. They wanted to silence his voice because you didn't like his point of view, and you wanted to steal him from his kids and from his wife and from all of us because you disagreed with him. You were too afraid to actually stand at a mic and debate him like we should be doing, and it was pointless. Charlie was the guy who was going to be heard for time to come, because his words of wisdom at 31 years old, his impact on the world at such a short time will last for a long time. I think we all know that because probably all of us have listened to his videos and watched them and were amazed by the amount of knowledge he had from the historical perspective to the biblical perspective, and his stance for Christian values.

Have you talked to the FBI about the investigation? The shooter is still on the loose this morning. Do you think they're going to catch him?

Mullin: I have been on the phone with my friends and the FBI, and they will catch him. I don't see how the guy can get on it, or whoever this person is, can get in and out of campus. not be spotted, it's just a process of going through. I can't imagine a world where we're not able to catch him or her or whoever the suspect is. We gotta make the assumption it was a guy, but it could obviously be a female. Justice will be brought to the person. I thought there was a representative, I don't know if it was the attorney general, if it was the governor, but it was a political or a person of authority in Utah yesterday doing an interview before I went on with Sean Hannity. He reminded the world that Utah still has a death penalty, which tells you how seriously they're taking this.

We asked Sen. Langford about going to big public events, ballgames where there are thousands of people or a large crowd. What do you tell Oklahomans this morning?

Mullin: We don't live in fear. We can't allow someone else to dictate our behavior. Living in fear is no way to live at all. Live your life and be thankful we live in the great State of Oklahoma. I tell you, I'm stuck in Washington, D.C. right now, and just talking to you guys actually helps me. Because it makes me long for being in such a beautiful state, a loving state, and the true Bible Belt of the United States and Oklahoma. For all those who are even thinking that, live your life, enjoy it, don't live in fear. That's not how we honor everybody. We allow them to win. Don't let your voice be silenced at all because of some senseless act like this.