The shooting that killed the political activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday drew expressions of sympathy and outrage from across the political spectrum.
But on the floor of the House of Representatives, a request for a moment of silence to honor him quickly gave way to a moment of bitter partisanship, in a reminder of the polarization that has fueled political violence in recent years.
Late Wednesday afternoon, as reports of the shooting spread widely throughout the Capitol, Speaker Mike Johnson interrupted a series of votes and sought to quiet the typically clamorous House.
“Please rise for a moment of prayer for Charlie Kirk and his family,” he asked.
The entire House obliged. For 30 seconds, lawmakers in both parties and observers in the gallery above fell silent. But when Mr. Johnson gaveled the House back to order, it descended almost immediately into a fracas.
Representative Lauren Boebert, a far-right Colorado Republican, began calling for Mr. Johnson’s attention and asked that someone lead a spoken prayer for Mr. Kirk, who was reported at the time to be in critical condition.
“I believe silent prayers get silent results,” she said.
Democrats jeered loudly, and some of them could be heard noting angrily that congressional Republicans had all but ignored a school shooting earlier in the day.
Mr. Johnson appeared to be responding that such a prayer could be made once the House had concluded its legislative business for the day. But the shouting only begot more shouting, and he could barely be heard trying to quell the brouhaha.
Then Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, a former conservative influencer who was close to Mr. Kirk and has said he was responsible for her congressional career, waded in.
Pointing angrily at the side of the chamber where Democrats sit, Ms. Luna blamed them for the shooting, though authorities were still looking for the shooter at the time and no motive was known.
“You all caused this,” she said, uttering at least one expletive as she continued to shout.
As other Republicans began yelling at Democrats, calling on them to back down, one Democrat responded, “Pass some gun laws!”
Mr. Johnson called for order several times, and eventually, the chamber briefly quieted down.
“We will join for prayer right after this, OK?” Mr. Johnson said.
More shouting ensued and the speaker again called for order, this time visibly frustrated as he looked over at Democrats’ side of the aisle.
Shortly thereafter, the House returned to its next order of business: swearing in James Walkinshaw, a Virginia Democrat who won a special election on Tuesday night and was reporting for his first day.
Michael Gold covers Congress for The Times, with a focus on immigration policy and congressional oversight.
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