A newly surfaced video from the scene of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's shooting has ignited fierce backlash online after appearing to show a Turning Point USA staffer filming a selfie moments after Kirk was critically wounded. The footage, widely shared on X and amplified by conservative commentator Candace Owens, has triggered public anger, internal questions about security, and renewed scrutiny of the investigation into Kirk's death.
The short clip, first circulated by the account Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra), shows Terryl Farnsworth, a Turning Point USA staffer who worked closely with Kirk, pointing a phone toward himself and recording video in the chaotic aftermath. The post claimed, "Candace Owens released footage showing Turning Point USA staffer Terryl Farnsworth rushing to film a selfie video moments after Charlie Kirk was shot, prematurely declaring him dead."
The video captures the confusion following the gunfire. Screams of "They just shot Charlie. They just shot Charlie. God. Help him," can be heard before Farnsworth appears to announce, "He's dead." Critics online accused Farnsworth of prioritizing self-documentation over aid, calling his actions callous and self-centered. One user wrote, "Yeah okay, someone you know very well gets shot and you decide a selfie is a must... because it's all about you. SMH."
The footage also renewed focus on security handling at the scene. According to the X post, Farnsworth was "the individual who removed the overhead cameras just minutes after Charlie was shot." The move prompted questions about whether key surveillance evidence may have been compromised. Turning Point USA, the right-wing organization Kirk founded, has not issued a statement since the video surfaced.
Owens, who has been one of Kirk's closest media allies, publicly shared the clip and accused Turning Point USA of mishandling the situation. She argued that the staff's behavior "represented an alarming breakdown in judgment" during what she called "a moment of extreme danger."
The controversy deepened after Owens advanced new claims about the federal investigation into the shooting. She alleged that the FBI "withheld security camera film" and said she obtained footage from a source showing "the actual gunman was observed alongside a female companion, possibly an accomplice." Owens said, "What the heck is going on? Who was the woman who was with the shooter, and why wouldn't the FBI release that footage? Yet they chose during their 33-hour manhunt that they were also looking for a woman who could have been the accomplice. What happened to this lady?"
Owens' assertions surfaced after she initially said she lacked proof for her suspicions but later pointed to an Instagram video posted by the user @Shanerinthehouse, which she claims revealed witnesses discussing a woman seen with the shooter.
The emergence of the new footage has produced two overlapping controversies: one surrounding the Turning Point USA staffer's actions and another over Owens' challenge to the official narrative. Together, they have widened the debate over how the incident was handled both on the ground and in the subsequent investigation.
