Did Metallica’s frontman James Hetfield claim Charlie Kirk’s killing was ‘a dark plan’? Viral rumor debunked

No, Metallica's frontman James Hetfield did not claim that Charlie Kirk's murder was "a dark plan." The musician has made no such comments, via representatives, media statements or through social media.

The claim appeared first in a Facebook post on September 15, alleging and noting that:

"This is a dark plan - it cannot possibly be a coincidence' - James Hetfield shocks the world after Charlie Kirk's death."

The post included a link to an article which noted that Hetfield also said:

"No family, no nation should indure this kind of darkness without answers. If this is a conspiracy, justice must be served."

Furthermore, the post also discussed a Utah musician who uploaded a song named Charlie Kirk Dead at 31 on the internet before the assassination took place at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.

Political activist and Trump ally, Charlie Kirk was shot during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.

More about the viral post about James Hetfield debunked

Metallica's fan page, Pulse of Music in a Facebook post published on September 12, 2025, claimed that band member James Hetfield while perfoming in Nashville, made claims about Charlie Kirk's death. As per the fanpage, James Hetfield paused his performance and urged the crowd of 25,000 to observe a minute of silence for Kirk.

He then allegedly started singing God Bless America and turned the concert into a "tribute, a reminder of loss", and "resilience."

On the same day, the fan page made another post where it claimed that Hetfield reportedly claimed that he would cover all living and educational expenses for Kirk's two children. Kirk was married to Erika Kirk and shares two children

However, as per Prime Timer, the fan page is known to spread fake news, with AI-generated images.

As per CBS News, false AI-claims have surfaced on the internet in the aftermath of Kirk's assassination. The news outlet had identified 10 posts by X's AI chatbot, Grok which misidentified the suspect before his identity was released.

Grok also generated altered "enhancements" of photos released by the FBI. The suspect was identified as Utah resident Tyler Robinson. Utah Governor Spencer Cox on September 12 morning announced that the suspect taken into custody was 22-year old Tyler Robinson. As per voter registration records, Tyler Robinson was not affiliated with a political party. Grok generated an AI-enhanced image which portrayed a much older man than Robinson.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback