Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns Explains the Fatal Neck Injury That Killed Charlie Kirk
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Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns Explains the Fatal Neck Injury That Killed Charlie Kirk
Dr. Kendall Crowns, chief medical examiner for Tarrant County and a lecturer at TCU's Burnett School of Medicine, breaks down the medical reality behind the widely circulated video of Charlie Kirk's shooting. He explains that the movement viewers saw immediately after the shot, Kirk raising his arms toward his neck, was not a conscious reaction but a reflexive nervous system response known as decorticate posturing, caused by his spinal cord being instantly severed from his brain. Dr. Crowns walks through why this would have rendered Kirk an immediate quadriplegic, why heavy bleeding from the wound points to a hit on the carotid artery and jugular vein, and why the level of the injury still allowed him to remain alive, though critically injured, during the time he was transported to the hospital. He notes that even if Kirk had survived the initial injury, the severity of the damage likely would have left him with a stroke and permanent quadriplegia.
Dr. Kendall Crowns, chief medical examiner for Tarrant County and a lecturer at TCU's Burnett School of Medicine, is asked to explain what happened medically in the graphic video showing Charlie Kirk being shot in the neck. He notes that Kirk tips backward immediately after being struck and raises his arms, a movement that appears to show conscious awareness of the injury.
A Reflexive Response, Not a Conscious One
Dr. Crowns explains that the arm movement is actually decorticate posturing, a reflexive nervous system response that occurs when the spinal cord is severed from the brain. He says this means Kirk was instantly rendered a quadriplegic at the moment of the shot, with his body no longer able to communicate with his brain.
Identifying the Source of the Bleeding
As Kirk tips to the side, Dr. Crowns notes heavy bleeding from the neck wound, which he says indicates the bullet more likely than not struck the carotid artery and jugular vein, causing severe hemorrhaging as he fell.
Why He Remained Alive Briefly
Dr. Crowns explains that because the spinal cord injury likely occurred below the C5-C6 level, Kirk could still have been breathing and alive for a period of time, which is consistent with him being rushed to the hospital before he died. He adds that even if Kirk had survived the initial injury, the severity of the damage likely would have caused a stroke and left him permanently quadriplegic.
