Michael Keaton is highlighting the most “unbelievable” aspect of Charlie Kirk’s death.
On Monday, the “Batman” star received an award at the 50th anniversary gala of the Investigative Reporters and Editors nonprofit for his “his spot-on portrayal of journalists” in films like “Spotlight” and “The Paper” as well as his “steadfast support for a free press.”
During his acceptance speech, Keaton spoke to the room full of journalists about a topic that has been dominating the news cycle for the past week — Kirk’s killing, and the paradoxical nature of it.
The “Dopesick” star began his remarks with a show of compassion.
“Before we start to get into the meat of this thing, I’m going to take a minute to say that, regardless of how I probably — not probably — have disagreed with many things he said, Charlie Kirk leaves behind two kids and a wife,” Keaton opened his speech, Variety reports. “You gotta remember that.”
Samuel Corum via Getty Images
He continued, “Because in the end, shooting people will never answer anything, and the irony that he was killed with a gun is unbelievable.”
Kirk, who was fatally shot during an event in Utah on Sept. 10, was an extremely vocal and unapologetic advocate for the Second Amendment.
“It’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment,” Kirk said at a 2023 event organized by TPUSA Faith, the religious arm of Kirk’s conservative group Turning Point USA, a quote that has been widely shared among his critics after the shooting.
Keaton wasn’t the only speaker at the IRE gala to mention Kirk’s killing. “60 Minutes” journalist Scott Pelley pointed out how the motives behind his death are similar to those of former Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were fatally shot in an attack at their home in June.
Star Tribune via Getty Images via Getty Images
“Charlie Kirk was murdered to silence his speech, and three months earlier, former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were murdered to silence their speech,” Pelley said.
“Many admired Kirk; many did not,” Pelley continued. “His catchphrase was ‘Prove me wrong.’ To some, that phrase was controversial — even dismissive. But the core idea was: Bring the proof and let’s debate.”
“Whether you agreed with Kirk’s ideas or Hortman’s, their murders, their silencing is blood on the First Amendment,” he concluded.
