TMZ issued a public apology late Wednesday after a livestream clip showed newsroom staff erupting into laughter at the moment conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death was confirmed, as reported by TMZ.

The incident occurred as TMZ reporters covered the assassination of the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder during his American Comeback Tour stop at Utah Valley University.

Kirk had just finished responding to an audience question about transgender shooters when he was fatally shot.

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Outrage spread quickly online after a video circulated of newsroom staffers clapping and cheering in the background during TMZ’s livestream, which was covering the breaking news.

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TMZ founder Harvey Levin and executive producer Charles Latibeaudiere responded with a video statement later that evening. Levin explained that the reaction heard on-air came from employees who were distracted by unrelated coverage in the newsroom.

“We were livestreaming all day during this tragedy, when something happened in our office,” Levin said.

“As we were reporting the assassination of Charlie Kirk, there were some people in the back room — away from our news desk here — who were watching a car chase, and they were laughing. They were clapping. And you could hear it out here.”

Levin stressed that none of his staff were reacting to the news of Kirk’s death. “They would not work here if they did,” he said.

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Latibeaudiere added that TMZ recognized the outrage and admitted it was “horrible timing.” He told viewers: “And for that, we are sorry.” Levin followed with, “We apologize.”

Both executives acknowledged the anger directed at the outlet, but emphasized that “no one was laughing at the Charlie Kirk tragedy,” as Latibeaudiere put it.

Kirk’s death has shaken the conservative movement. He was a rising figure in the America First coalition, leaving behind his wife and two young children. The shooter remains at large, and law enforcement in Utah has not yet released further details about the suspect or a motive.

The Utah Valley University event was one of multiple planned stops on Kirk’s American Comeback Tour, with another set for Utah State University later this month.

His work with Turning Point USA made him a prominent national figure among younger conservatives, and his assassination has sparked widespread calls for justice.

The backlash against TMZ underscores the sensitivity surrounding coverage of the tragedy. While the outlet insisted the reaction caught on camera was unrelated, the viral clip intensified scrutiny of the newsroom’s handling of the situation.