Author Stephen King is facing criticism after tweeting — and then deleting — false claims about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated earlier this week at Utah Valley University.
King’s Comments
On Friday, King posted on X that Kirk had “advocated stoning gays to death,” but the claim was quickly debunked with resurfaced statements showing Kirk had taken the opposite stance, saying gay people should be welcomed in the conservative movement.
King later deleted the post and issued a series of apologies, writing:
- “I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages.”
- “The horrible, evil, twisted liar apologizes. This is what I get for reading something on Twitter w/o fact-checking. Won’t happen again.”
- “I have apologized. Charlie Kirk never advocated stoning gays to death. I was wrong, and I apologize. I have deleted the post.”
Fallout
King’s comments sparked backlash from fans online, who accused the author of spreading misinformation at a sensitive time.
King’s remarks come with the release of The Long Walk, starring Mark Hamill, the new feature film based on his classic novel, opening in theaters this weekend.
DC Comics recently canceled Gretchen Felker-Martin’s Red Hood series after she posted online celebrating Kirk’s death. The publisher pulled all future issues and refunded retailers, citing its standards of conduct against promoting hostility or violence.
Sucker Punch Productions fired senior artist Drew Harrison, who had worked on Ghost of Tsushima and the upcoming Ghost of Yotei, after she also posted comments online making light of Kirk’s killing.
What Happened to Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Wednesday while addressing thousands of students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was struck in the neck by a single bullet fired from a rooftop and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death on Truth Social and later announced that Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A suspect is now in custody, according to Trump and Utah officials.
