Photographer Charles McClintock Wilson Responds to Conspiracy Theories About Charlie Kirk Assassination

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Photographer Charles McClintock Wilson Responds to Conspiracy Theories About Charlie Kirk Assassination

Brandi and Billie sit down with photographer Charles McClintock Wilson, who was working at the Charlie Kirk event when the conservative commentator was assassinated. Wilson addresses conspiracy theories circulating online, including questions about his positioning, equipment, and alleged suspicious behavior captured in footage from that day. He explains why he was photographing behind the stage, clarifies the "earpiece" was actually an earring, and discusses the controversial Google Trends searches from Israel. Wilson shares his firsthand account of the shooting, reveals his text exchange with Turning Point USA staff, and explains why he deleted certain photos. Despite being at the center of online speculation, Wilson maintains Tyler Robinson is the shooter but likely didn't act alone.

November 11, 2025

The Brandi and Billie Show Investigates

Hosts Brandi and Billie launch their podcast with an explosive first episode examining the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. After listening to numerous podcasts discussing the shooting, they noticed several mentioning photographer Charles McClintock Wilson and his allegedly suspicious behavior captured on video that day. Rather than speculate, they decided to contact Wilson directly for his side of the story.

Wilson, a freelance photojournalist based in Salt Lake City, was working the Charlie Kirk event at Utah Valley University on September 10th when the shooting occurred. What follows is his detailed account of that day, his responses to conspiracy theories, and his own theory about what happened.

Who Is Charles McClintock Wilson?

Before diving into the events of September 10th, Wilson shares his background. Born in the Dominican Republic, he considers himself from West Palm Beach, Florida. He works as a freelance photojournalist, contributing to multiple photo agencies including Zuma Press. His work involves showing up at events with professional camera equipment, capturing newsworthy moments, and selling those images to news outlets.

Wilson's decision to cover the Charlie Kirk event came after seeing promotional material on Instagram about a week and a half before. Though he wasn't hired by any company specifically for the event, he knew news agencies would be interested in photos of the prominent conservative figure. His wife, a Charlie Kirk fan who had watched many of his videos during the 2024 election cycle, accompanied him to the event.

The Day of the Assassination

Wilson arrived at Utah Valley University expecting a significant event. What immediately struck him was the lack of security for such a high-profile political figure. There were only a handful of police officers, no bag checks, and no comprehensive security screening. For someone covering events professionally, this raised red flags even before anything happened.

Wilson positioned himself strategically to capture various angles of Kirk and the crowd. At one point, he attempted to access an elevated position above the tent to photograph the entire crowd, but police were taping off that area and asked him to move. This area was directly above where Kirk would be speaking.

Addressing the Conspiracy Theories

Podcaster Baron Coleman, a former radio host and practicing attorney, examined footage from the event and raised several questions about Wilson's behavior. Brandi and Billie play these clips for Wilson and give him the opportunity to respond.

The Zoom and Positioning

Coleman's first observation involved Wilson zooming in behind the stage approximately 25 seconds before Kirk was shot. Coleman questioned what Wilson was photographing and whether those photos still exist.

Wilson explains his standard practice at events: he photographs everything. In this case, he was taking photos of a police officer positioned behind the tent. These types of shots go into his stock photography collection and can be used for various purposes, such as articles about law enforcement in Utah. The photo of the officer exists on his website in the audience gallery, separate from the Charlie Kirk-specific gallery he created.

The Earpiece Controversy

In grainy footage examined by Coleman, what appeared to be an earpiece in Wilson's ear became a focal point of suspicion. Coleman and others speculated this could indicate Wilson was receiving communications from co-conspirators.

Wilson immediately clears this up by showing his earrings, which are shiny and could easily be mistaken for an earpiece in low-quality iPhone footage. The earrings are clearly visible during the interview.

The Lanyard Flip

Another moment that raised questions was when Wilson's lanyard changed from white to black in footage. Coleman questioned what Wilson was doing and why.

Wilson provides a straightforward explanation: he was flipping his press credentials so a staff member could see his name and badge. A female staff member from Charlie Kirk's team was walking around asking people to move and clearing the area. Wilson wanted to ensure she could see his press badge so she wouldn't give him trouble or ask him to leave. The white side of the lanyard contains instructions, while the black side displays his name and credentials.

Looking Away from the Losee Center

Perhaps the most suspicious element in Coleman's analysis was Wilson's reaction when the shot was fired. The alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, supposedly fired from the Losee Center, which would have been directly to Wilson's right. However, footage shows Wilson looking straight ahead or to his left, not toward where the shot originated.

Wilson explains he was scanning the audience looking for reactions and photo opportunities. He had already captured plenty of shots of Kirk by that point and was focusing on audience members, searching for interesting expressions or reactions. The shooting happened so fast that most people, including Wilson, didn't immediately react to the gunshot itself but rather to the security guards jumping to aid Kirk.

The Google Trends Mystery

One of the most perplexing elements raised by Coleman involves Google Trends data. Searches for "Charles McClintock Wilson" appeared in Israel on September 1st (nine days before the assassination), August 7th, and June 18th. Given theories circulating about possible Israeli involvement in the shooting, these searches seemed deeply suspicious.

Wilson points out a critical flaw in Coleman's research: his name contains two C's in "McClintock," but Coleman only searched with one C. This means the Google Trends data may have been tracking a different Charles McIntock entirely. Additionally, Wilson notes that Israeli publications and magazines have used his photos before, which could explain legitimate searches for his name from that region.

The hosts also discuss how Google Trends data related to the Kirk assassination has been mysteriously disappearing once it becomes publicly known, with searches for hospitals, surgeons, lawyers, and other key figures being erased after being highlighted online.

The Phone Number Timing

In a moment of admitted awkwardness, Brandy reveals she used an app to check when Wilson's phone number was activated. The app indicated July 25th, 2025 - right around the time other suspicious searches and activities were occurring related to the case.

Wilson explains his phone history: when he moved to Utah in December 2022, he initially had T-Mobile. He changed his number in 2023 (not 2025 as the app suggested) because he didn't want people from Florida contacting him. He later switched from T-Mobile to Verizon, and when Verizon became too expensive, he switched to AT&T. The July date likely reflects when he switched carriers, not when the number was originally activated.

Contact from Turning Point USA

One surprising revelation is that Turning Point USA did contact Wilson, but only briefly. At 2:00 a.m. on September 11th (hours after the shooting), a woman named Aubrey Laitsch, the PR manager for TPUSA, texted Wilson. She mentioned that it was brought to her attention that Wilson wanted to attend as press and asked if he had been at the event.

Wilson responded: "Hey Aubrey, yes, I was there today. I'm so sorry about Charlie. Such an awful day."

Aubrey never responded. Wilson theorizes they were trying to piece together what happened and were reaching out to anyone who had been there. Once Tyler Robinson was identified as the shooter the next day, they may have felt they no longer needed Wilson's information or photos.

Notably, no law enforcement agencies have contacted Wilson despite his proximity to Kirk and the extensive photographic documentation he captured.

The Deleted Photos

Wilson admits he took photos after Kirk was shot, including images of Kirk down behind the tent. However, he deleted these photos and no longer has them.

When asked why, especially given their potential value to an investigation, Wilson says he was thinking about Kirk's family and didn't want his children to see those images. He did release one photo that has become known as "the last photo of Charlie Kirk alive," but chose not to release more graphic images from after the shooting.

The hosts question whether this decision was wise, given that the photos might contain evidence relevant to the investigation. Wilson acknowledges this but maintains his decision was motivated by consideration for the family.

Wilson's Theory on What Happened

Despite being at the center of conspiracy theories himself, Wilson believes Tyler Robinson is the shooter. He thinks Robinson is the right guy but doesn't believe he acted alone. Wilson suspects Robinson's roommate and boyfriend, Lance Twiggs, knew about the plan. Both Lance and Robinson's parents have disappeared, reportedly in witness protection.

However, Wilson acknowledges there are unanswered questions. He's frustrated by the gag order on Robinson, which prevents coverage of the trial. As a photojournalist, he wants to document the proceedings. He also believes authorities aren't releasing enough information, including footage from the professional camera that captured the entire incident.

Wilson finds it strange that some of Kirk's staff referred to his survival as a "miracle" and his "last miracle on earth," comments that seem oddly phrased. He believes releasing more information and footage would calm conspiracy theories rather than fuel them.

Security Failures

One point Wilson emphasizes throughout the interview is the shocking lack of security at the event. For a political figure as prominent and controversial as Charlie Kirk - someone with passionate supporters and equally passionate detractors - the security was inadequate. No bag checks, minimal police presence, and unsecured rooftops created an environment where tragedy was possible.

Wilson noticed this before anything happened and wondered why security wasn't tighter. This wasn't hindsight; it was a real-time observation from someone experienced in covering events.

Final Thoughts

Charles McClintock Wilson maintains his innocence and provides reasonable explanations for behavior that appeared suspicious in decontextualized video footage. His earpiece was an earring. His lanyard flip was to show credentials to staff. His positioning and camera movements were standard practice for event photography. The Google Trends searches likely tracked a different person with a similar name.

Yet questions remain. Why haven't law enforcement contacted someone who was so close to Kirk with professional camera equipment? Why was security so lax? Why did Turning Point USA stop communicating with Wilson after one text exchange? Why delete potentially valuable photographic evidence?

Wilson's appearance on the Brandi and Billie Show represents his attempt to address conspiracy theories directly rather than let speculation grow unchecked. Whether his explanations satisfy skeptics remains to be seen, but he's provided his account of what happened on one of the most significant days in recent American political history.

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