A self-described Portland tattoo artist has ignited an online backlash after advertising $50 neck tattoos timed to the first anniversary of Charlie Kirk's assassination. The Instagram account @blacksctratcher promoted what it called a 'Kirkiversary Special' for Thursday, 10 September, offering customers tattoos positioned in the same area of the neck where Kirk was fatally shot a year earlier.
A promotional graphic circulated online advertised '$50 neck tattoos for the exact placement of the kirkhole' alongside dozens of small flash designs and an illustration indicating where the tattoos would be placed. The advert was subsequently reposted across social media, where it drew hundreds of thousands of views and a wave of criticism.
Tattoo Promotion References Kirk's Fatal Shooting
Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of conservative organisation Turning Point USA, was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on 10 September 2025. The university event formed part of his 'American Comeback Tour'. Utah public-safety officials said Kirk was speaking at a student-sponsored event at approximately 12.20 pm when he was shot. He was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead.
Contemporary accounts established that Kirk was struck in the neck by the single shot, making the placement referenced in the tattoo promotion an unmistakable allusion to the manner of his killing. The Instagram graphic itself labels the offer a 'Kirkiversary Special' and includes a dotted circle beside the neck of an illustrated figure to show where customers would have to receive the discounted tattoo.
A Portland tattoo artist is offering discounted neck tattoos on the anniversary of Charlie Kirk's death in celebration of his assassination:
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) September 8, 2026
"$50 neck tattoos for the exact placement of the kirkhole" pic.twitter.com/j1HgNhlcOq
The account's biography was reported to describe the artist as being based in Portland and accepting bookings through direct messages. It also listed the artist as 'BBP certified', an abbreviation commonly used in tattooing for bloodborne-pathogen training. The available reporting does not independently establish the artist's legal name or verify a specific tattoo studio, so those details should not be stated as fact.
Backlash Spreads Across Social Media
The promotion began spreading well beyond the artist's Instagram audience after larger social-media accounts reposted it. One widely circulated repost described the offer as being made 'in celebration of his assassination'. A version of that repost visible on social media had accumulated more than 200,000 views as the controversy spread, while other accounts also amplified screenshots of the original advert.
Celebrating an assassination by turning the exact location of the victim’s fatal wound into a tattoo special is beyond “dark humor.” That’s just sick.
— Mii De (@IamMiide) September 8, 2026
Imagine being so desperate for attention that you turn someone’s murder into a marketing gimmick. 🥴
Critics accused the artist of trivialising political violence and turning the circumstances of Kirk's death into a marketing gimmick. The original Instagram account was later reported to have been made private after receiving a flood of comments.
Then just don’t go to her. If mfs wanna go to her then yall can’t do anything to stop it. Left or right twitter has emboldened yall to think you have the power to control shit that’s simply not up to you. Unless you’re about to march up there with guns, all you can do is yell.
— AJ (@johnson_aa67252) September 8, 2026
The account did not appear to retreat from the promotion after the backlash. In a subsequent Instagram Story, it defended its ability to post the material under freedom of speech and mocked critics who were contacting the account.
When approached for comment about the posts, the person behind the account reportedly first asked whether they would be compensated and did not answer a subsequent question. Turning Point USA was also contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of that reporting.
Kirk's Death Marked One Year Later
The controversy arrives exactly one year after an assassination that became one of the most prominent acts of political violence in the United States in 2025. Kirk was a nationally prominent conservative activist and had built Turning Point USA into a major organisation focused heavily on young voters and university campuses. His killing prompted condemnation from figures across the political spectrum and a large federal and state investigation.
The anniversary has brought renewed attention to Kirk's death, including official commemorations and memorial events. Against that backdrop, the Portland tattoo promotion has attracted attention for taking the opposite approach: using the anniversary and the location of Kirk's fatal wound as the premise for a discounted tattoo offer.
