Hunter Kozak, the student who was the last person to speak with conservative activist Charlie Kirk before his fatal shooting, appeared at a CBS News event to question Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.
The exchange took place months after Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on September 10.
CBS News head Bari Weiss introduced Kozak during the interview, explaining to Erika Kirk that the student who had spoken with her husband in his final moments wanted to ask her a question.
Kozak Condemns Violence, Then Shifts to Politics
Kozak began by acknowledging Erika Kirk’s public calls for peace and unity following her husband’s death. He said he was disturbed by people within his own political circles who celebrated the killing.
Identifying himself as a leftist, Kozak then turned his focus to President Donald Trump, arguing that Trump, as the most powerful political figure in the country, bore responsibility for lowering political tensions.
Kozak cited Trump’s past remarks calling for six Democratic lawmakers to face sedition charges, which the president said could carry the death penalty. He also referenced Trump reposting a message calling for those lawmakers to be hanged.
However, Kozak did not mention the context surrounding those six individuals. All were former military or CIA personnel who had released a video urging members of the Armed Forces to disobey what they described as unlawful orders. When pressed, none were able to specify which orders they believed were unlawful.
Kozak asked Erika Kirk to condemn what he described as violent rhetoric from Trump, arguing that preventing political violence required holding both sides to the same standard.
Erika Kirk’s Response Focuses on Personal Responsibility
Erika Kirk responded calmly and deliberately. She questioned why anyone would believe she would ever endorse murder and said the issue went far deeper than any single political figure.
She emphasized that violence often begins at home and within families, shaped by how children are raised and the values they absorb.
Kirk made clear that she would never support political violence, noting that both she and her late husband were victims of it. Rather than assigning political blame, she redirected the discussion toward personal accountability.
She challenged parents to be actively involved in their children’s lives, asking whether families wanted to raise thoughtful leaders or future killers.
When Weiss asked whether political leaders had a responsibility to lower tensions, Erika Kirk said everyone shared that responsibility. She added that she was doing her part, but could not control the actions of others.
A Chilling Connection to Kirk’s Final Moments
The exchange echoed Kozak’s final interaction with Charlie Kirk on the day of the shooting. Kozak referenced a question he had previously asked Kirk at a campus event weeks earlier.
That earlier question focused on gun rights for transgender Americans. Kozak cited a transgender mass shooter and a subsequent discussion within the Trump Department of Justice about whether gun rights could be restricted for transgender individuals.
As Kozak spoke, the crowd reportedly cheered.
Unbeknownst to those present, authorities say suspect Tyler Robinson had positioned himself on a nearby rooftop and was aiming at Kirk. Robinson was reportedly in a romantic relationship with a transgender individual allegedly using black-market hormone replacement therapy.
Kozak had asked Kirk how many transgender Americans had been responsible for mass shootings over the past decade.
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