Utah Governor Poses Tough Question After Arrest

'Is this the end of a dark chapter in our history or the beginning of a darker chapter?'
Posted Sep 12, 2025 10:51 AM CDT
Utah Governor Asks a Pertinent Question
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Orem, Utah.   (AP Photo/Lindsay Wasson)

In his press conference announcing the arrest of a suspect in the murder of Charlie Kirk, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called the shooting a "watershed moment in American history," reports the BBC. But, he added, "we don't know what kind."

  • "Is this the end of a dark chapter in our history or the beginning of a darker chapter in our history?" he asked, per the Guardian.

The governor drew a comparison to the late 1960s, which saw a string of assassinations. But one difference, he said, is the "cancer" of social media that exists today and allows videos of violent killings to circulate online. Humans are not "biologically capable of processing ... violent imagery," said Cox, who encouraged people to "log off, turn off, touch grass, hug a family member, go out and do good in your community." This is "our moment," he said. "Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp? It's a choice, and every one of us gets to make that choice."

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