"Who is Marcus Hale?": Candace Owens reacts after Grok alleges she accused Turning Point USA of plotting Charlie Kirk’s assassination

President Donald J. Trump - Source: Getty
Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens from Turning Point USA, listen as President Donald J. Trump speaks during the 2018 Young Black Leadership Summit in the East Room of the White House on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 in Washington, DC (Image via Getty)

Conservative commentator Candace Owens has responded to claims made by Grok, X’s AI chatbot, that she accused Turning Point USA (TPUSA) of orchestrating the assassination of its founder, Charlie Kirk.

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The AI-generated summary, which circulated widely on November 9, 2025, alleged that Owens claimed TPUSA was behind the October 15, 2025, shooting by Marcus Hale, a former TPUSA volunteer. According to law enforcement updates summarized by Grok, Hale "acted alone with no evidence of organizational involvement."

Owens swiftly denied ever making such a claim, describing the suggestion as “completely fabricated”, and raised questions on the identity of Marcus Hale.

"They are in such overdrive making up stories about me that Grok is crashing out. He thinks Charlie Kirk was murdered by a volunteer named Marcus Hale on October 15th. Who is Marcus Hale? Is this a clue?"
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The controversy emerged just as tensions within the U.S. conservative movement hit new highs following Ben Shapiro’s public condemnation of Owens during a November 7 event with Megyn Kelly in Florida, where he called her comments “evil.”

In response, Owens accused Shapiro of lying about her statements, reigniting an ongoing feud between two of the movement’s most recognizable voices.


More about the alleged leaked messages between Candace Owens, Ben Shapiro, and TPUSA

The controversy deepened when alleged messages between Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens resurfaced online, reportedly showing Kirk expressing frustration toward Ben Shapiro. In the alleged texts, Charlie Kirk allegedly claimed Shapiro had tried to “kill” both his and Owens’ careers, comparing the situation to Game of Thrones and suggesting internal rivalries within the conservative media world, according to media reports on November 9, 2025.

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The screenshots, posted by AF Post on X, also appeared to show Kirk telling Owens she had become “bigger than Ben” and accusing Shapiro of viewing her as his subordinate.

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Owens later referenced the alleged messages herself, saying, “One of about 300 that I have,” and adding that she believed Charlie “would be laughing in heaven” at Shapiro’s attempt to portray himself as Kirk’s defender. The authenticity of the texts has not been independently verified.

Ben Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, has not commented on the alleged leak at the time of this writing.


Candace Owens denies accusing Erika Kirk amid viral misinformation storm

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Following Ben Shapiro’s remarks on The Megyn Kelly Show, Candace Owens took to X to refute claims that she accused Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow and the new CEO of TPUSA, of involvement in her husband’s death.

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Ben Shapiro told Megyn Kelly that Candace Owens’ comments about Charlie Kirk’s death were “evil” and compared them to left-wing conspiracy theories, suggesting she had crossed a moral line. Candace Owens, in turn, called Shapiro “completely deranged” and accused him of “twisting her words for attention.” She added that Shapiro attempted to “pressure Megyn Kelly” to speak against her based on false claims.

Erika Kirk, meanwhile, reportedly addressed the situation during an appearance on Fox News with Jesse Watters, urging restraint and empathy. “Some grace would be nice,” she said, noting that online speculation has been difficult for her family and children.

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Marcus Hale, Charlie Kirk’s death, and the ongoing fallout

According to the Grok summary, police identified Marcus Hale, a former TPUSA volunteer, as the shooter responsible for Charlie Kirk’s death on October 15, 2025, during an event in "Phoenix, Arizona."

However, according to information published online, the investigations into Charlie Kirk's assailant in Utah remain ongoing. It is important to note that the shooting, in fact, took place at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, not Phoenix.

As of now, Candace Owens has not been accused by authorities of spreading false information about the case, and no official investigation supports any claim of TPUSA involvement.

Edited by Devangee
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