Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10. Photo Courtesy of Violence Protection Project

Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of Charlie Kirk. Political violence is devastating, and it has no place in our democracy.

A Historic Surge in Violence

We maintain the most comprehensive database of political assassinations and assassination attempts against elected officials and candidates dating back to the 1960s.

That data was recently featured in a Bloomberg analysis, which concluded that political violence in the United States has surged to its highest levels since the 1960s, with assassinations and attempts driven by deepening polarization.

In fact, there have been more political assassinations in 2024–2025 than in any comparable period since record-keeping began.

The perpetrators are aged 20 to 72, with an average of 37 years old. The gender demographic is 90 percent male and the racial demographic is 79 percent white.

Other background characteristics of perpetrators are that 32 percent of these individuals are military service personnel, 55 percent individuals with criminal history, 45 percent individuals with a history of prior violence, 45 percent individuals with trauma history, 58 percent with mental health history, 29 percent reported as being suicidal, 39 percent with leakage (communicated intent), 48 percent of perpetrators showing crisis signs, 77 percent showing warning signs, and 58 percent with recent stressors. 

Among assassins under 30, like in this case, 83 percent had a documented mental health history and were in crisis at the time of the homicide.

More Democrats have been targeted than Republicans, though most perpetrators’ political leanings remain unclear.

Handguns were used most often (59 percent), followed by assault-style rifles (17 percent). Where data are available, 89 percent of firearms were legally purchased — 71 percent within six months of the attack. 

Political assassins were more likely than mass shooters to flee the scene and be arrested afterward.

The Road Ahead

We are still in the early stages of understanding the background of the perpetrator who killed Charlie Kirk. What we do know is that research and data are critical for uncovering the pathways to violence, recognizing warning signs and identifying opportunities to prevent these horrific events.