Kohberger plea, Cincinnati beating, Read verdict fuel 2025’s most viral, controversial moments

This twelvemonth ushered successful stories that ignited nationalist conversations surrounding race, bail reform, governmental powerfulness and home coercion – with galore headlines rapidly going viral online arsenic Americans grappled with tragedy, enigma and often outrage. 

As 2025 comes to a close, instrumentality a look astatine immoderate of the astir viral and arguable stories that made headlines and got Americans talking. 

The assassination of Charlie Kirk 

On Sept. 10, blimpish activistic Charlie Kirk stepped successful beforehand of the microphone for the autumn kickoff lawsuit of Turning Point USA’s American Comeback Tour astatine Utah Valley University successful Orem, Utah. 

ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON TRIES TO HIDE FROM ‘DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD’ OF PUBLICITY: EXPERT

Charlie Kirk speaks earlier helium is assassinated during Turning Point's sojourn to Utah Valley University successful Orem, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)

But portion speaking successful beforehand of implicit 3,000 students, Kirk was gunned down by a lone assassin positioned connected the extortion of a adjacent field gathering astir 200 feet from the event. Kirk was rushed to the hospital, wherever helium was pronounced dead. 

Video of Kirk’s sidesplitting rapidly went viral, arsenic countless spectators realized their cameras were rolling arsenic the fatal gunshot was fired – with galore capturing the frantic aftermath arsenic students ran for their lives.

Less than 2 days later, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson walked into a constabulary presumption successful St. George – astir 265 miles from Orem – to crook himself successful arsenic the alleged killer. According to authorities, Robinson was confronted by household members aft they noticed helium resembled the fishy successful photos released by police. 

The lawsuit mostly continues to play retired online, with assorted angles of Kirk’s assassination captured connected societal media. Clips of a fishy donned successful achromatic connected the extortion of a field gathering conscionable moments earlier the shooting offered immoderate of the archetypal looks astatine Kirk’s alleged assassin. 

CHARLIE KIRK'S WIDOW FIGHTS TO KEEP NEWS CAMERAS IN COURTROOM FOR ACCUSED ASSASSIN'S TRIAL

Tyler Robinson, accused of the execution of Charlie Kirk, appears during a proceeding successful Fourth District Court successful Provo, Utah, Thursday, December, 11, 2025. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via Pool)

"There’s intelligibly truly nary interest astir whether anybody was going to spot him leaving the scene, arsenic helium conscionable jumped disconnected the roof," Peter Valentin, seat of the Forensic Science Department astatine the University of New Haven and a erstwhile Connecticut State Police detective, told Fox News Digital.

"If you instrumentality a look astatine what’s going connected astatine the clip of the video being captured, everyone is moving from the amphitheater area. So you tin ideate people’s quality to instrumentality enactment of things similar this is astir apt somewhat diminished." 

Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, with prosecutors vowing to question the decease punishment successful his case. 

Karen Read acquitted connected execution charge

Karen Read’s Massachusetts execution proceedings captivated the nation, with a assemblage yet uncovering her not blameworthy successful the 2022 decease of her boyfriend, Boston constabulary serviceman John O’Keefe. 

FATHER OF VINDICATED KAREN READ WARNS CONCERNED AMERICANS 'THE NEXT KAREN READ COULD BE YOU' IN NEW INTERVIEW

Karen Read extracurricular of Norfolk County Superior Court, Friday, June 13, 2025, successful Dedham, Mass.  (Richard Beetham for Fox New Digital)

Read was accused of fatally striking O’Keefe with her vehicle, leaving him to frost to decease face-down successful the beforehand gait of chap serviceman Brian Albert’s location successful the early-morning hours of Jan. 29, 2022. 

Prosecutors yet charged Read, 45, with second-degree murder, manslaughter portion driving nether the power and leaving the country of an mishap causing death. 

For respective years, Read maintained her innocence by asserting she dropped O’Keefe disconnected astatine the location aft a nighttime of drinking with friends. 

However, her archetypal lawsuit ended successful a mistrial successful 2024 aft a assemblage was incapable to scope a unanimous verdict. 

KAREN READ ASKS MASSACHUSETTS COURT TO THROW OUT WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AFTER MURDER ACQUITTAL

Karen Read and John O'Keefe unneurotic successful an undated photo. (Courtesy of Karen Read)

On June 18, 2025, a assemblage recovered Read not blameworthy of second-degree murder, drunken driving manslaughter and leaving the country of an mishap – clearing her sanction aft 3 years of ineligible battles. She was recovered blameworthy of the lesser discourtesy of driving nether the influence, with a Norfolk County justice sentencing her to a twelvemonth of probation. 

Despite her acquittal, Read inactive faces a wrongful decease suit brought by O’Keefe’s family, which is expected to play retired good into 2026. 

Bourbon Street panic onslaught rocks New Orleans  

New Orleans’ celebrated Bourbon Street was marred by calamity wrong hours of ringing successful the caller year, marking the archetypal large wide casualty lawsuit of 2025. 

Terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar of Texas killed 14 civilians and injured 57 others arsenic helium plowed done crowds of New Year’s Eve revelers soon aft midnight connected Jan. 1. Jabbar was subsequently killed successful a shootout with police. 

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK

Terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar of Texas killed 14 civilians and injured 57 others arsenic helium plowed done crowds of New Year’s Eve revelers soon aft midnight successful New Orleans, Louisiana connected Jan. 1, 2025. (Fox News Digital)

In the contiguous aftermath, the FBI released haunting surveillance images showing Jabbar calmly walking passim the country wrong an hr of the horrific attack. 

The images captured Jabbar wearing a airy brownish coat, acheronian button-down shirt, bluish jeans and formal shoes arsenic helium strolled on Dauphine Street adjacent Governor Nicholls Street astatine 2:03 a.m. CST – astir an hr earlier the attack. 

Additionally, investigators said Jabbar planted a brace of improvised explosive devices wrong coolers that helium placed successful abstracted areas passim Bourbon Street. Authorities besides uncovered an ISIS emblem successful the furniture of the pickup motortruck utilized successful the attack. 

According to the FBI, Jabbar, a U.S. citizen, posted 5 videos to his Facebook relationship proclaiming his allegiance to ISIS conscionable hours earlier the attack, portion besides laying retired his plans to transportation retired wide execution wrong the famed French Quarter.

NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST, MAN IN LAS VEGAS CYBERTRUCK EXPLOSION SHARED MORE LINKS IN ATTACKS JUST HOURS APART

Authorities patrol Bourbon Street arsenic it is reopened successful New Orleans, Louisiana connected Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.  (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)

Jabbar was "hell-bent connected creating the carnage and harm that helium did," New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.

"It was precise intentional behavior," she added. "This antheral was trying to tally implicit arsenic galore radical arsenic helium perchance could."

Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty

In a stunning about-face, Bryan Kohberger, 28, pleaded blameworthy connected July 2 successful the brutal 2022 murders of 4 University of Idaho assemblage students. 

Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. pupil astatine Washington State University, was taken into custody connected Dec. 30, 2022, pursuing a monthlong manhunt aft Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were recovered stabbed to decease wrong their location successful Moscow, Idaho. 

BRYAN KOHBERGER CALLED HIS MOM WHILE RETURNING TO IDAHO MURDER SCENE THE NEXT DAY, EXPERT REVEALS

Bryan Kohberger appears astatine the Ada County Courthouse for his sentencing hearing, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, successful Boise, Idaho, for brutally stabbing 4 University of Idaho students to death. (AP Photo/Kyle Green, Pool)

In a lawsuit that some captivated and horrified the nation, details surrounding the brutality of Kohberger’s crimes rapidly dispersed passim societal media arsenic the Idaho assemblage braced for a headline-grabbing trial, acceptable for the autumn of 2025. At the time, authorities alleged Kohberger drove from his flat successful Pullman, Washington to Moscow, Idaho successful the aboriginal greeting hours of Nov. 13, 2022, and entered the students’ location done an unlocked doorway to transportation retired the murders of Mogen, Goncalves, Kernodle and Chapin arsenic they slept.  

However, successful an effort to flight the decease penalty, Kohberger pleaded blameworthy to the execution charges and was sentenced to 4 consecutive beingness sentences without the anticipation of parole, positive further clip for a burglary charge.

Under the presumption of the plea agreement, Kohberger was not required to supply a motive for the killings – a arguable determination that led immoderate of the victims’ families to publically denounce the prosecution’s decision. 

During Kohberger’s sentencing, respective household members and friends of the slain students took the basal to connection affectional statements successful the beingness of their loved ones’ slayer – with Goncalves' older sister, Alivea Stevenson, offering fiery remarks to the now-convicted murderer. 

ATTORNEY WEIGHS IN ON FAMILY'S RAGE AFTER KAYLEE GONCALVES' SISTER SCORCHES 'STUPID, CLUMSY' KILLER KOHBERGER

Madison Mogen, apical left, smiles connected the shoulders of her champion friend, Kaylee Goncalves, arsenic they airs with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and 2 different housemates successful Goncalves' last Instagram post, shared the time earlier the 4 students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)

"The information is you're arsenic dumb arsenic they come," Stevenson said arsenic she faced Kohberger. 

"Stupid, clumsy, slow, sloppy, weak, dirty. Let maine beryllium precise clear. Don't ever effort to person yourself you mattered conscionable due to the fact that idiosyncratic yet said your sanction retired loud. I spot done you. You privation the truth? Here's the 1 you'll hatred the most. If you hadn't attacked them successful their slumber successful the mediate of the night, similar a pedophile, Kaylee would person kicked your f------ a--."

Kohberger remains down bars successful the Idaho Maximum Security Institution successful Kuna, Idaho.

Viral Cincinnati beatdown sparks radical tensions 

A convulsive beating successful downtown Cincinnati rocked the federation aft video of a radical of Black suspects were filmed pummeling astatine slightest 2 White victims successful images that rapidly went viral online. 

CINCINNATI VIRAL BEATING VICTIM SAYS VIOLENT MOB STARTED ATTACKING 'LIKE A PACK OF WOLVES'

(Top L-R) Dominique Kittle, DeKyra Vernon, Patrick Rosemond, Jermaine Mathews, (Bottom L-R) Aisha Devaughn, Gregory Wright and Montianez Merriweather are facing assorted charges for their alleged roles successful the viral beatdown successful Cincinnati, Ohio connected July 26, 2025. (Hamilton County Jail; Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

The confrontation broke retired conscionable aft 3 a.m. on July 26 extracurricular the LoVe nightclub, located connected the country of Fourth and Elm Street successful the city's downtown concern district, with bystander video capturing the infinitesimal the radical of suspects violently slammed 2 individuals to the ground. 

In a video obtained by Fox News Digital, an unidentified antheral tin beryllium heard yelling radical slurs portion being beaten successful the street, with immoderate claiming the antheral unfortunate slapped the perpetrator anterior to the combat breaking out. 

Another space shows a woman, aboriginal identified arsenic "Holly," attempting to interruption up the combat earlier she is besides slammed to the crushed and knocked unconscious. 

WATCH: Viral Cincinnati onslaught unfortunate speaks retired amid betterment from convulsive beating

"I heard a antheral crying connected the street, [and] helium looked astatine maine and held retired his hand," Holly told Fox News Digital. "And [he] virtually said, ‘Please, God, assistance me. Help maine please, God.’ You can't perceive it successful immoderate of the videos due to the fact that each you tin perceive is everybody connected the thoroughfare cheering each different connected to curb-stomp these people, and to footwear them and punch them and onslaught them portion they were down."

CINCINNATI BRAWL TIMELINE: BRUTAL ASSAULT SPIRALS INTO NATIONAL FIRESTORM

In the days pursuing the attack, authorities arrested aggregate individuals for their alleged relation successful the beating. Jermaine Mathews, 39; Montianez Merriweather, 34; Patrick Rosemond, 38; Gregory Wright, 32; Dominique Kittle, 37; DeKyra Vernon, 24; and Aisha Devaughn, 26, were each taken into custody connected assorted charges stemming from the viral assault, with authorities besides slapping 45-year-old Alex Tchervinski, a unfortunate successful the attack, with a misdemeanor disorderly behaviour charge. 

"What this has done, it has made Alex a unfortunate present for the 2nd clip by bringing transgression charges against him," Douglas Brannon, Tchervinski’s lawyer, told Fox News Digital soon aft his arrest. "What really occurred is Alex was deed aggregate times, earlier helium slapped backmost successful an effort to effort and support himself and backmost disconnected this radical of thugs."  

Tchervinski’s proceedings is acceptable to statesman successful January 2026. 

The video prompted nationalist outrage and forced section leaders to respond, with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine weighing successful connected the violence, calling it "shocking." 

EXCLUSIVE: RAMASWAMY DECRIES ‘ANTI-LAW ENFORCEMENT CULTURE’ IN WAKE OF BRUTAL CINCINNATI BEATING

Cincinnati residents besides turned their attraction to Mayor Aftab Pureval implicit his administration’s handling of the lawsuit and the city’s bail policies for repetition offenders, with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) unanimously voting no-confidence successful him.

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"For those who privation to racialize it, past a Black antheral stepped successful betwixt the combatants, separated them and said, ‘This is astir halt fighting, everybody needs to chill,'" assemblage person Reverend Damon Lynch said astatine a quality conference. "And then, for those who privation to racialize it, the White antheral being steps backmost successful the ringing and slaps not the Black antheral that helium had conscionable squared up with, but slaps different Black man. So aft that helium was met with disproportionate force." 

"But erstwhile I spot the mugshots, I lone spot radical who look similar me," helium said. "I don't spot the idiosyncratic who reengaged. And truthful until we spot each the mugshots, this is inactive a radical issue."

Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Michael Ruiz and Peter D'Abrosca contributed to this report.