Texas State President Kelly Damphousse confirmed that the man shown in a viral video mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination on the Texas State campus had been identified as a TXST student, and as of Tuesday evening, the student is “no longer” at the University.
“I will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses,” Damphousse said in a statement posted on his Facebook page. “The individual is no longer a student at TXST. Federal law prevents the university from commenting further on individual student conduct matters.”
In the viral video, first posted on X Tuesday morning, the student approaches members of the local branch of Turning Point USA Chapter gathered for a Charlie Kirk memorial at the base of the Fighting Stallions statue on the Quad on the Texas State campus, which is established as a “free speech area” by the university.
The student, who has not been publicly identified, slaps his neck several times and flinches, then walks through the memorial gathering and climbs up to the base of the statue, where he says, “My name is Charlie Kirk,” slaps his neck again and falls down appearing to imitate videos of Kirk’s death that spread online after the assassination. He then walks away through jeers from the crowd.
Governor Greg Abbott posted the video, which has more than 8 million view as of Wednesday morning, on his @GregAbbott_TX twitter/X account on Tuesday, with the following message: “This conduct is not accepted at our schools. Expel this student immediately. Mocking assassination must have consequences.”
Tuesday afternoon, Damphousse posted a statement on his Facebook page denouncing the actions of the man in the video, who at that point was not yet identified as a student:
“I am aware of the disturbing video that was taken at an event on our San Marcos campus on Monday. I have directed university officials to take immediate steps to identify the individual in the video. … If this individual is found to be affiliated with TXST, appropriate action will be taken.”
Damphousse also indicated on his Facebook page that the Dean of Students would investigate to determine if other people in the video engaged in other forms of unacceptable behavior. “I will swiftly use every authority vested in me to address them,” he said on his Facebook page.
Later Tuesday, when the man in the video had been confirmed to be a TXST student, Damphousee posted confirmation that he was no longer enrolled in the university, and that he in no way represented the values of the University.
”I know that this incident (and the response to it) has shaken the Texas State community (including faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members, and supporters),” Damphousse said. “It has shaken me. The video has understandably evoked strong emotions here and across the country.
“Unfortunately, some people are suggesting that the individual’s actions represent the beliefs of TXST students in general or those of specific student organizations. These kinds of insinuations are unfair to our student body, and they cause some of our students to feel unsafe. Just as the behavior in the video was reprehensible, attempts to spread the blame onto innocent students are also unacceptable. The actions of one person do not reflect our entire community or the individuals in it.”
The statement, which Damphousse posted on his Facebook page, continued.
“This is a time for calm, for measured response and dialogue, and for keeping ourselves and each other safe. As always, the safety of our campus community is at the heart of every decision that I make. We must not allow this situation to get the best of us. We can disagree on issues, but we cannot allow ourselves to be pulled into a situation where we are adding to the fear and anxiety on our campus. That is not who we are, and it must not be who we will become.
“I am asking that each of us consider the impact that our words and actions can have on those around us. From my first moment as the TXST president, I have espoused the ideal that we (all of us) belong here. I have never wavered in that expectation (or in that hope). While I cannot control what others say or do, I can control how I respond to them. I ask that we all seek ways to lift our campus up to its noblest aspirations in the days and weeks to come.”
Governor Abbott offered further thoughts on the broader implications of the incident during a Tuesday press conference to mark the ceremonial signing of House Bill 20 and House Bill 120, intended to expand career and technical education opportunities for high school students across Texas.
“We have a problem in our society that we need to come to grips with, Abbott said. “If we have members of our society, whether they be students or otherwise, who celebrate an assassination, we have dramatic course correction that we have to take in this state, and a place where we can engage in that course correction is in our schools and on our campuses. … we as a state must send a signal that behavior like that, celebrating an assassination, is wrong in a civil society.”
As of the time of press, the Daily Record has been unable to contact the student to request a comment.
