Barack Obama has admitted the US faces a 'political crisis' after the assassination of right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk.
The 31-year-old was killed while speaking at an event organized by his company, Turning Point USA, last week at Utah Valley University.
Kirk arrived on campus on the first leg of his 'American Comeback Tour' before being fatally shot as he was answering questions from the crowd in an outdoor courtyard.
Suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with several offences, including aggravated murder and obstruction of justice, after he handed himself in to authorities.
Advert
The seven counts are as follows:
- Count 1: Aggravated murder
- Count 2: Felony discharge of a firearm
- Count 3: Obstruction of justice - moving a firearm
- Count 4: Obstruction of justice - disposing of clothing
- Count 5: Witness tampering - telling a roommate to delete messages
- Count 6: Witness tampering - telling a roommate to stay quiet
- Count 7: Committing violent crime when children are present
Following Tuesday's developments, former president Obama has been speaking at an event in Pennsylvania, where he admitted the killing was 'horrific and a tragedy' despite not agreeing with many of his views.
.jpg)
According to a transcript released via CNN, Obama added: "Look, obviously I didn’t know Charlie Kirk. I was generally aware of some of his ideas. I think those ideas were wrong, but that doesn’t negate the fact that what happened was a tragedy and that I mourn for him and his family."
The 44th POTUS continued: "He’s a young man with two small children and a wife who obviously – and a huge number of friends and supporters who cared about him.
"And so, we have to extend grace to people during their period of mourning and shock.
"I think at moments like this, when tensions are high, then part of the job of the president is to pull people together."
The former president went on to urge Americans to 'respect other people's right to say things that we profoundly disagree with'.
.jpg)
According to reports, Obama added to the crowd in Erie: "And so when I hear not just our current president, but his aides, who have a history of calling political opponents 'vermin', enemies who need to be 'targeted,' that speaks to a broader problem that we have right now and something that we're going to have to grapple with, all of us."
The White House dismissed the comments made by the former president, telling the BBC in a statement: "Obama used every opportunity to sow division and pit Americans against each other.
"His division has inspired generations of Democrats to slander their opponents as 'deplorables,' or 'fascists,' or 'Nazis'."
Topics: Charlie Kirk, Barack Obama, US News, Politics
Callum Jones