A Pendleton restaurant is experiencing a fallout after one of its co-owners made a controversial comment following conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s murder this week.
Kirk, the founder of right-wing activism group Turning Point USA, was killed while speaking to a crowd at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah, is accused of Kirk’s murder and was taken into custody Friday morning.
Aaron Sharpe, a reportedly now-former co-owner of barbecue restaurant Lucius Q in Pendleton, had made the comment, “Good riddance. What a piece of shit,” on a social media post asking for prayers for Kirk following the shooting. Backlash quickly followed, with thousands of people flooding Lucius Q’s social media and Google reviews to express anger at the comment.
Sharpe later followed up, writing, “If you think that threats of social media attacks on me or my business will in any way keep me silent about what I believe, you are sorely mistaken. I know exactly who I am and on what side of history I stand.”
On Thursday night, Lucius Q shared the news that Sharpe, who they later said was a minority owner, was no longer a part of Lucius Q.
“Aaron Sharpe is no longer associated with Lucius Q. We found the comments he made on his personal social media pages offensive and, as a result, have severed ties with him,” the restaurant posted on social media.
The announcement of Sharpe’s departure followed a statement from TQL Stadium, which Lucius Q was a vendor with, saying it cut ties with the restaurant.
“FC Cincinnati and TQL Stadium expect our vendors and partners to uphold the values of respect and tolerance that are core to our club’s identity. We were founded on the idea that soccer unites, and we remain committed to ensuring that FCC is for all and that we provide a safe and welcoming environment for our patrons. Toward that end, we have terminated our relationship with Lucius Q.”
On Friday afternoon, Lucius Q released an apology and said it successfully removed Sharpe from ownership:
“Yesterday, a minority owner in Lucius Q made abominable comments about the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk. We, as the majority owners of the business, have been entirely focused on removing this person from our organization, and have been successful. We want to apologize to our community for his words – they do not reflect the feelings of the current owners, investors, management, or our incredible staff. Lucius Q does not condone violence in any shape or form. We are proud to serve a diverse city with diverse beliefs, and strive be a place where the community can come together, not be driven apart. As husbands, fathers, wives, and mothers ourselves, we’d like to personally apologize to the family of Charlie Kirk. We take our commitment to the city of Cincinnati seriously, and look forward to earning back your business.”
Lucius Q was also a vendor with Factory 52’s food hall, The Gatherall. Factory 52 released its own statement on the matter, writing:
“Thank you to our community members who reached out to ensure we were aware of comments made by an individual business owner within our development. These comments do not reflect the values of Factory 52, the Gatherall, our residents, or the Norwood community. We do not condone violent or threatening speech of any kind.
“This matter is being taken very seriously, and we are reviewing all legal options to address it appropriately. Our mission has always been to create a welcoming space where people can come together, and that commitment remains our highest priority.”