President Javier Milei posted a public message of condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk on Wednesday evening — and blamed a “wave of left-wing political violence” for the prominent far-right activist’s murder.

United States President Donald Trump also blamed “radical left” discourse for fuelling a climate of violence. 

Despite both presidents’ comments, the authorities do not yet know who killed Kirk or why.  There is no evidence that his killer was motivated by left-wing politics.

“My condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk and to all the young people around the world who admired and listened to him. A formidable promoter of the ideas of freedom and a staunch defender of the West,” Milei wrote. 

“He was the victim of an atrocious murder amid a wave of left-wing political violence throughout the region. The left is always, everywhere, a violent phenomenon full of hatred. The whole world has lost an incredible human being. Goodbye.”

Alongside the message, he posted a photo of himself with Kirk.

Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Wednesday morning, while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. He rose to national prominence in the U.S. after founding the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, and was close to President Donald Trump. 

A suspect was taken into police custody on Wednesday, but was released hours later. A manhunt is currently under way. 

On Wednesday, Trump said in a video message that it was “long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree, day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible.”

“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”

Kirk was known for organizing events in which he would argue with liberals and progressives about issues such as gender, guns, and climate change, challenging them to change his mind. At such events, he argued against abortion, challenged the concept of women’s right to withdraw consent during sex, and spread COVID-19 misinformation during the pandemic.

An estimated 3,000 people were attending the event at which he was shot, part of Turning Point USA’s The Comeback Tour. Video of the killing showed him talking on stage before suddenly twitching, and then going still, after he was shot in the neck. Kirk was 31.

He was a vocal advocate for gun rights, claiming: “I think it’s worth the cost to have, unfortunately, some gun deaths every year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. It is a prudent deal.”