Charlie Kirk Shooting Witness Describes Event and Security Concerns

Witness Account of the Shooting

• 💡 Brandon Russen, standing about 15 feet from Charlie Kirk, recounts the moments before and during the shooting.
• 💬 Russen shared that one of Charlie Kirk's last declarations before the shot was, "Christ is Lord and that he defeated death."
• ⚡ Following this declaration, as Kirk moved to the next question, the shot rang out, causing everything to seem to happen in slow motion.
• 😨 Russen described the graphic detail he witnessed and the immediate reaction of ducking to the ground with the crowd.

Immediate Aftermath and Crowd Reaction

• 🏃‍♂️ After a moment of processing, the crowd instinctively piled onto the ground, with Russen shouting "No, no, no, no."
• 📱 Russen instinctively reached for his phone to text his wife about a shooter and to express his love.
• 🗣️ After about a minute without further shots, the crowd gained confidence to run towards buildings for safety.

Security Concerns at the Event

• ⚠️ Russen expressed immediate concern about security upon entering the courtyard, noting it "does not look like a safe place" for Kirk.
• 🧐 His concern was based on the layout of the courtyard, not the attendees, whom he described as a mostly friendly crowd.

Motivation for Attending

• 🧠 Russen was drawn to the event to hear debate and dialogue, appreciating Charlie Kirk as an intelligent man who presented evidence for his claims.
• 🗣️ He values hearing dialogue and the debate on opposing sides, even if not fully engaged in politics.