Chaos erupted on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives late Wednesday after Republicans sought a spoken prayer — rather than a moment of silence — for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a request that prompted Democrats to start shouting about a school shooting in Colorado and gun control. At the time that House members were bowing their heads, Kirk’s death had not yet been announced. 

Kirk was shot on Wednesday afternoon at Utah Valley University as part of his campus tours to debate those with whom he disagreed, which he had been doing for years. Less than three hours later, President Trump announced Kirk’s death. 

Before his death had been confirmed, Speaker Mike Johnson took to the podium on the House floor to lead his colleagues in a brief moment of silent prayer for the conservative activist. After lawmakers were done bowing their heads, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert — a conservative House Freedom Caucus member from Colorado — tried to have a prayer spoken in the chamber, which led Democrats to object. 

“Silent prayers get silent results,” Ms. Boebert said on the floor. Democrats quickly responded by yelling about a school shooting that left children injured in Ms. Boebert’s home state of Colorado on the same day that Kirk was killed. 

“No,” one lawmaker on the Democratic side of the aisle could be heard yelling as Ms. Boebert asked for a prayer, presumably from the House chaplain. Democrats could also be heard yelling about the Colorado shooting and the children who were injured. 

Another House Republican, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, then chimed in to shout: “You f—ing own this.”

“Wait a minute,” Mr. Johnson shot back from the speaker’s rostrum at the head of the chamber, banging his gavel. “The House will be in order,” he said as she tried to silence his colleagues. 

The speaker continued to demand order, his voice rising in volume, as one Democrat, who was not immediately identifiable, yelled that the Republicans ought to pass gun control legislation. 

Despite the acrimony on the House floor, responses to the shooting from both sides of the aisle have been unfailingly gracious. Mr. Trump ordered that flags be flown at half staff through Sunday evening to honor Kirk. 

In a statement, President Obama said he and his wife “will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.” 

“We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy,” the former president wrote on X. 

Kirk was close with many members of Congress, having been involved in conservative commentary, election operations, and the party apparatus for the better part of a decade. From his home state of Arizona, members of Congress — Republicans and Democrats alike — shared their grief and horror at what happened. 

“Charlie Kirk lost his life today because someone thought violence was the answer to political disagreement,” Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat, wrote on X. “It’s never the answer, and political violence has no place in our country. I’m praying for his wife and children.”

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris similarly put out statements condemning the attack and offering prayers to Kirk and his family.