Sen. Ted Cruz didn’t wait for city workers when he spotted obscene graffiti attacking Charlie Kirk on a Houston freeway bridge, instead painting over the message himself while calling it the work of a “deranged bastard.”
The Texas Republican senator shared photos and video on social media showing himself using a paint roller and white paint to cover graffiti reading “F— Charlie Kirk” on a concrete structure along Highway 59 near the Shepherd Drive exit. Cruz posted the video with a simple two-word caption: “Erasing evil.”
“Some deranged bastard put this graffiti on the 59 freeway in Houston,” Cruz wrote on X. “TXDOT has been notified & I’m sure they will remove it expeditiously. But, in the meantime, Texans don’t have to look at this hateful garbage anymore.”
The graffiti targeted Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA who was fatally shot last Wednesday during a campus speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson Friday morning in connection with Kirk’s killing. Robinson, who was not enrolled at Utah Valley University and lived with his family in Washington County, Utah, allegedly carried out the attack from a sniper position before abandoning his weapon and fleeing. Law enforcement recovered trace evidence from the rooftop scene including shoe impressions, a forearm imprint, and palm prints.
He is now facing aggravated murder charges and could get the death penalty, with prosecutors citing the premeditated nature of the attack and his attempts to tamper with witnesses. In court, Robinson appeared in an anti-suicide vest and was ordered held without bail pending trial.
Kirk’s assassination has prompted an outpouring of support, with President Trump and other leaders expected to attend a memorial service scheduled for September 21 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Cruz described Kirk as a “close friend” in a statement last week, calling him “courageous, brilliant, compassionate, and powerfully honest.”
His impromptu paint job drew support from prominent figures including Elon Musk, who responded with an American flag emoji. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce also praised the senator’s action, writing “Well done. Thank you from all of us @tedcruz” along with clapping hands and American flag emojis.
The Texas Department of Transportation confirmed Monday afternoon that it has since covered the remaining paint.
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