Texas man accused of threatening to shoot Pride-goers as ‘pay back’ for Charlie Kirk killing
Charlie Kirk was shot dead in Utah. (Getty)
Charlie Kirk was shot dead in Utah. (Getty)
Texas man Joshua Cole has been accused of threatening to shoot people at a Pride event as “pay back” for the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Turning Point USA co-founder Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck during a crowded open-air debate on 10 September. He died in hospital soon after. Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested two days later. He has been charged with aggravated murder and multiple other charges.
On 19 September, Cole took to Facebook and allegedly wrote under a post about the Abilene Parade & Festival, which took place on 20 September: “I say we lock and load and pay them back for taking out Charlie Kirk.
“Theres [sic] only like 30 of em we can send a clear message to the rest of them,” Cole wrote, according to police documents. “Come on bro let’s go hunting fairies.”
Anson, Texas was arrested and charged with making a threat on Facebook. The case remains under investigation.
Abilene Pride Alliance wrote on Facebook: “We want to reassure our community that the safety of everyone at Pride has always been, and will continue to be our top priority.”
The post went on to thank the Abilene Police Department for their “consistent support” and the community, who donated $4,000 to aid additional safety measures for the event.
An incredibly influential right-wing pundit, Kirk was well-known for his open-air debates where he often shared anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theories.
Trump said during a Fox & Friends broadcast that he hopes the suspect gets the death penalty, adding that he was “the finest person and he didn’t deserve this.”
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