Neuroscientist explains why Charlie Kirk raised his arms after being fatally shot

On Wednesday, September 10, Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed while hosting a debate at Utah Valley University. He was shot in the neck while he was talking to about 3,000 people. People ducked for cover and then ran away in a panic, causing chaos.

Emma Pitts, a reporter for the Deseret News who was at the debate, said, “We all fell to the ground… and then everyone around us got up and ran.” Authorities quickly arrested Tyler Robinson, 22, from Utah. He is accused of firing the fatal shot from a rooftop about 200 yards away.

Robinson is facing charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, violent crime in front of a child, and many counts of obstructing justice and tampering with witnesses. Jeff Gray, the Utah County Attorney, said that prosecutors will seek the death penalty.

Many uncensored videos of the event were shared online, showing Kirk flinching, dropping the mic, and falling down as blood poured from his wound. Derek Van Schaik, a neuropsychologist, looked at the video later to explain what Kirk did at the end.

Some people thought that Kirk’s arms moved up because of “decorticate posturing,” which is a neurological response to severe brain damage. Van Schaik said this wasn’t true; instead, the reaction was an involuntary defensive reflex.

He said that a lot of blood loss to the brain usually makes someone pass out and fall down quickly, not stiffen up. Kirk’s movement looked like an instinctive flinch, like when someone is startled and suddenly reacts.

Van Schaik used digital timers to look at the video and found that Kirk was awake for no more than four-tenths of a second after the gunshot. This was too short for his brain to feel pain or fear.

Van Schaik said, “There was no panic or fear in his last moments.” “It was neurologically impossible for him to know what had happened; he just blacked out.”