SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Federal authorities are investigating the possible involvement of a radical left-wing group, Armed Queers Salt Lake City (AQSLC), in the recent assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. The investigation centers on the group’s rhetoric, its radical leftist stance, and its activities leading up to the killing, which has already stirred national debate.
The Group: Armed Queers Salt Lake City
Founded in 2020, AQSLC is a queer- and trans-led organization that identifies as a Marxist-Leninist group. The group advocates for trans liberation, the abolition of prisons and police, and the dismantling of capitalism and U.S. imperialism. It has also openly endorsed the use of armed self-defense to protect LGBTQ+ communities, combining activism with firearms training.
The group’s leader, Ermiya Fanaeian, is an Iranian-born transgender activist with a long history of leftist organizing. Before founding AQSLC, Fanaeian was involved in movements such as March for Our Lives, the student-led gun control initiative. She later distanced herself from groups like Pink Pistols, an LGBTQ+ firearms organization, in favor of creating a more radical and militant group.
In a now-deleted YouTube video titled “Cuba Report Back: Our Time as 2025 May Day Brigadistas,” Fanaeian and other AQSLC members embraced revolutionary rhetoric, labeling themselves as “terrorists” and discussing their vision to incite political upheaval in the U.S. through lessons learned from Cuba’s communist government. The video, now scrubbed from the internet, included bold claims about applying “revolutionary tactics” in America to dismantle its political systems.
Ties to Cuba and Radical Messaging
AQSLC’s connection to Cuba has raised significant concern among law enforcement. In 2025, the group joined the May Day Brigade to Havana, where they met with Cuban officials and communist activists. Fanaeian and her group have described Cuba’s government as a model for a new kind of left-wing revolution and have suggested that their actions in the U.S. could mirror the tactics used by Cuban revolutionaries.
On the same day as Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the group deleted its Instagram account and removed content related to its trip to Cuba and its firearms training. Archived posts have revealed the group’s continued calls for militant self-defense, with some clips showing Fanaeian stating, “If we’re terrorists, we’re proud terrorists.”
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk
On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, a vocal conservative commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. The suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old with a transgender partner, was arrested at the scene. Police recovered a bolt-action rifle and ammunition engraved with antifascist and sexually suggestive messaging.
Investigators have since noted that the AQSLC logo, which prominently features a bullet symbol, matches the caliber of the bullet used in Kirk’s killing. This eerie connection has led authorities to question whether the group had foreknowledge of the assassination or whether its extremist ideology may have influenced the attack.
AQSLC’s Online Disappearance and the Investigation
Federal law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation have confirmed that AQSLC is being scrutinized for possible connections to the assassination. The group’s sudden disappearance from social media — specifically its Instagram account and other platforms — has raised further suspicion. Experts note that this coordinated removal of content, coupled with the timing of the group’s radical statements, makes AQSLC a focus of the investigation.
As part of the investigation, authorities are exploring the group’s online presence, past activities, and connections to radical networks. The fact that AQSLC has been active in Utah’s activist circles, particularly in 2023, when they gave a lecture at the University of Utah promoting “queer resistance” and the dismantling of “cis-heteropatriarchy” and land ownership, has added fuel to the growing concerns.
A National Debate Over Domestic Extremism
AQSLC’s ideology, mixed with its advocacy for militant tactics, has ignited fierce debates across the political spectrum. Some argue that the group’s radical rhetoric should be classified as domestic terrorism, while others view the investigation as an overreach against activists seeking social change.
Federal authorities continue to examine whether the group’s connections to global communist movements, as well as its militant messaging, contributed to the deadly violence targeting Charlie Kirk. Investigators are also analyzing any possible ties between AQSLC and other extremist networks, both domestic and international.
Next Steps in the Investigation
As of now, AQSLC has not been formally classified as a domestic terrorist group, but the ongoing investigation has prompted law enforcement agencies to carefully review the organization’s activities and connections. The situation remains fluid, and more details are expected to emerge in the coming weeks as authorities work to piece together the full extent of the group’s involvement.
For now, the assassination of Charlie Kirk — and the potential role of AQSLC — is still under investigation, with federal authorities urging anyone with information to come forward.
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