Sen. Mark Kelly is calling for an end to political violence in the U.S. after the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday in Utah. The Arizona senator, who is the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was herself nearly assassinated in a politically motivated shooting years ago, told Jen Psaki in an interview that this kind of violence has to stop.
The call for de-escalation comes after several high-profile attacks, including the killings of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as assassination attempts on President Donald Trump. Kelly, whose wife was shot in the head in 2011, said that the U.S. has seen political violence many times throughout its history, but “it feels like more lately.”
He told Psaki that hearing about Kirk’s death was “horrifying” and that he “immediately thought of Charlie’s wife,” Erika, reflecting on the phone call he received about his own wife’s shooting years ago. “It’s just a horrific thing to hear somebody say,” Kelly said, noting that while Giffords survived, Kirk did not.
Killing always does more damage than you think
Kelly continued, “I think about his parents and his children,” adding that Kirk’s two young children, ages 3 and 1, are now going to “grow up now without a dad, and it is just a horrible, horrible thing.” In his interview with Psaki, Kelly stated that “this type of political violence in our country is just too common, and it has to end.” He emphasized that those in positions of power and influence need to recognize the weight of their words and decide if this is the direction the country should continue to go. According to Kelly, it’s “within our power” to get off this “trajectory” and get the “country to a better place” by dialing down the divisive rhetoric.
Kelly’s comments come at a time when politically motivated violence seems to be on the rise, with multiple prominent figures being targeted recently. In June, Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in a shooting. There have also been attempts on the lives of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, as well as two separate assassination attempts on President Donald Trump.
“We’ve got to bring the temperature down and convince people that we are one nation.”
— Erin Burnett OutFront (@OutFrontCNN) September 11, 2025
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, whose wife former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was severely wounded by a gunman in 2011 speaks to @ErinBurnett about the political rhetoric and… pic.twitter.com/SsGBrrVGUw
The frequency of these events is troubling, and Kelly’s call to action seems to be a plea to get people to think about the impact of their words and actions before it’s too late. The senator’s personal connection to the issue makes his message all the more poignant. His wife, Gabby Giffords, survived a similar attack in 2011 that killed six people and injured 13 others. Giffords suffered a brain injury, but she went on to become an advocate for gun violence prevention.
Kelly’s experience with his wife’s shooting gives him a unique and sobering perspective on the recent violence, making his call for an end to it a deeply personal and heartfelt one. It’s clear from his interview that he feels this issue very deeply, and he wants to see a change.
