A Texas State University student who withdrew from the school after publicly mocking the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has launched a GoFundMe campaign, saying he made a “mistake in the heat of the moment.”
Devion Canty Jr. was captured on video shouting profanities and making gestures simulating Kirk’s shooting during a gathering of mourners at the university’s Turning Point USA chapter. The incident sparked widespread backlash, including from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who called for his expulsion.
“Hey Texas State. This conduct is not accepted at our schools. Expel this student immediately. Mocking assassination must have consequences,” Abbott posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Following the uproar, Texas State University officials confirmed Canty was no longer a student, with President Kelly Damphousse issuing a statement condemning the behavior.
“The university has identified the student in the disturbing video from Monday’s event. I will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses. It is antithetical to our TXST values,” Damphousse said.
Canty later claimed he was given the option to either be expelled or voluntarily withdraw. He chose the latter, stating on his GoFundMe page that the decision was made for his own safety and that of the campus community.
“I made the decision to withdraw—not because I wanted to leave, but for my own safety and the well-being of the campus community,” he wrote. “I’m not an out-of-control, disrespectful young Black man. I’m a passionate student who made a mistake in the heat of the moment.”
In the fundraiser, titled “going back to txst,” Canty said he hopes to use the donations to either resume his education at Texas State or pursue studies elsewhere. He also claimed he had been the target of harassment following the incident.
“Spit on, called racial slurs, and witnessing women being cursed at and pushed around. I spoke up, and while I recognize my actions weren’t perfect, I did not harm anyone,” he said.
The controversial video showed Canty mocking the moment Kirk was shot in the neck by an alleged gunman at Utah Valley University. He can be seen slapping his neck and simulating being hit by a bullet, then reenacting the scene again on a statue base before collapsing to the ground.
As of Saturday morning, Canty’s fundraiser had raised nearly $2,000 toward a $9,000 goal.
“I still believe in my education and my future,” Canty wrote. “And I would love to be welcomed back on campus one day.”
Canty is among a number of individuals who have turned to crowdfunding after facing backlash over their reactions to Kirk’s death. Several others have claimed they were “doxed and fired” for speaking out against what they described as “fascist” ideologies.
One such GoFundMe campaign, launched by a woman who lost her job after making public comments, has raised over $75,000. While she didn’t detail the exact reason for her termination, she said she hopes to use the funds to stay financially stable and continue creating activist content.
“The harassment reached my workplace, and it cost me my income. But let me be clear: this will not silence me,” she wrote. “If anything, I intend to be louder.”