PJ Conner: Man accused of mocking Charlie Kirk on social media; what we know

Social media users have been circulating screenshots and posts identifying a man named PJ Conner in the context of the fatal shooting of conservative activ Charlie Kirk. The posts claim he is an Air Force special and allege that he shared or endorsed messages mocking Kirk’s death.Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk speaks during a campaign rally, Oct. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP)The claims have gained traction on X, where several accounts have called for the US Air Force and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to investigate the individual.However, HT.com could not independently verify the identity of the person.Also read: 10 Charlie Kirk quotes that defined the TPUSA founder’s beliefs, one year after his assassinationWhat is being claimed?An account on X, @DoDeportations, has accused PJ Conner of celebrating the September 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University commenting under a post azcentral about Charlie Kirk’s death anniversary.The screenshot of the comment shared the account shows an image of Kirk with his thumbs up.“Meet PJ Conner. PJ Conner is a law enforcement officer in the Air Force. He also supports the murder of Charlie Kirk. I’m SURE his commanding officer would love to hear about this. Anyone got the number?” the account wrote.Also read: What is ‘Kirkification’? Charlie Kirk fans slam face-swap AI trend as they mourn assassination one year onWho is PJ Conner?Multiple posts on X shared screenshots of what they allege is the Facebook profile of the man who commented, identified as “PJ Conner.”The screenshots describe him as an Air Force special based in Mesa, Arizona. Several users urged others to contact Air Force officials and called for disciplinary action if the allegations prove true.One user wrote, “He is a Law Enforcement Special in the United States Air Force. He posted a picture mocking the death of Charlie Kirk. @usairforce do you guys support the assassination of Charlie Kirk?”Several other posts tagged the official U.S. Air Force account and Pete Hegseth and have expressed that such conduct should not be tolerated.“Hey @usairforce, one of your guys is openly cheering for the death of an American,” one user wrote.The Pentagon has policies governing service members’ conduct, including on social media, and disciplinary action may be taken when conduct is found to violate military regulations. However, whether those policies apply in this case would depend on the authenticity of the posts and any official investigation.Moreover, HT.com could not verify the authenticity of the screenshots, whether the profile belongs to the person identified, or whether the alleged posts were actually written him.