The widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has vowed to continue his work through the right-wing movement he founded as she spoke in public for the first time since his assassination.
An emotional Erika Kirk paid tribute to her husband Friday from Phoenix, Arizona, just two days after he was fatally shot.
Kirk’s wife and the mother of his two young children promised to make conservative youth group Turning Point USA “the biggest thing this nation has ever seen.”
She revealed “The American Comeback” tour would go on this fall despite Wednesday’s shooting at Utah Valley University.
“Our campus tour this fall will continue,” Erika Kirk said. “There will be even more tours in the years to come.”
Her defiant address comes as suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah, is in police custody and is expected to appear virtually in court for the first time Tuesday.
Key points
- What we know about Charlie Kirk murder suspect Tyler Robinson
- Investigators detail what led to Tyler Robinson's arrest
- Suspect arrested on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offenses
- Charlie Kirk's widow makes defiant address and vows to continue husband's work
- Shell casings were engraved by shooter, governor says
- Suspect's first court appearance set for Tuesday
Right-wing activists launch website to expose people cheering Charlie Kirk's death
08:30
,
Rhian Lubin, AP
An anonymously registered website pledges to “Expose Charlie’s Murderers” and asks people to offer tips about people who were “supporting political violence online.”
The site published a running list Thursday of targeted posts, along with the names, locations and employers of people who posted them.
While some posts contained incendiary language, others didn’t appear to celebrate the shooting or glorify violence.
Kirk’s assassination has been deeply polarizing, and everyone from teachers, university staffers and media personalities, to firefighters, a U.S. Secret Service agent and a Marine is now finding themselves in hot water for reveling in the killing.
Read on for more details.
RECAP: Tyler Robinson had become ‘more political’ in recent years - investigators
07:30
,
Rhian Lubin
The 22-year-old man accused of killing Republican activist Charlie Kirk this past week had become “more political” in recent years, according to family members, investigators said on Friday morning.
Tyler Robinson, the Utah man identified as the shooter, was apprehended by authorities Thursday evening after more than a day of searching for him. Officials said they were informed Robinson “confessed” or at least implied he fatally shot Kirk to a family member.
Robinson reportedly expressed negative views of Kirk and had spoken with a family member the day before the shooting “who also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said.
Ariana Baio reports.
Suspect Tyler Robinson joined the Mormon church at a young age
06:30
,
Rhian Lubin
The man suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk joined the Mormon church at a young age, a spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints told The New York Times.
It is not clear if Robinson was an active member of the church recently.
“I can confirm that Robinson became a member of the Church at a young age but refer any further inquiry about his Church activity to him or his family,” spokesman Doug Andersen told the outlet.
The church said it condemned “violence and lawless behavior” in a statement on Wednesday.
The Church’s global headquarters is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the state has the highest Mormon population, with 2.2 million members.
Previous presidents projected calm after tragic events to ease the nation. Trump has mostly taken a different approach
05:45
,
Rhian Lubin
President Donald Trump’s heated reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk has provided a stark contrast with the way his predecessors have tended to deal with moments of crisis through American history.
In the face of national tragedy, the public often looks to the commander-in-chief to serve as a unifying and guiding voice to move forward.
But following the fatal shooting of Kirk, a 31-year-old Republican activist who was close with the president and his family, Trump used his social media to post a video blaming “the radical left” for the assassination and ”the media” for creating a tense political environment.
Some have criticized Trump’s reaction at a time when a U.S. president might usually be expected to seek to calm the situation.
Ariana Baio reports.
NFL says it's up to clubs whether to hold moment of silence for Charlie Kirk over weekend
05:00
,
Rhian Lubin
The NFL has clarified that it’s up to clubs to decide whether or not they want to hold a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk ahead of the Week 2 games on Sunday.
At Thursday night’s game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders, a moment of silence was held for Kirk.
That decision was the league’s, the NFL said in a statement.
“Last night’s moment was the league’s decision. It’s up to the clubs for this Sunday’s games,” the NFL clarified.
The organization said there have been “a variety of moments of silence and tributes” in stadiums and on-air following significant national events, and clubs will often hold a moment of silence after a tragic event.
The league cited events this calendar year.
“This summer before the Hall of Fame game in Canton, the league honored the victims and those impacted by the attack at 345 Park Avenue. During Week 18 games last season, the NFL honored the victims of the Bourbon Street terrorist attack. Also, that season the NFL held a moment to recognize those lost in the deadly crashes near Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia and also prior to the Vikings-Rams Wild Card game that was moved from LA to Arizona due to the wildfires,” the statement said.
U.S. is experiencing most profound surge in political violence since the 1970s
04:30
,
Rhian Lubin
Experts warn the assassination of Charlie Kirk is the latest in a deeply concerning surge in political violence across the U.S. during the Trump era.
Data shows the U.S. is experiencing most profound surge in political violence since the 1970s.
“It’s clear that we’ve had some major political violence incidents in the last few years and that it is more than we had come to expect, certainly since say the 1960s,” Wendy Via, CEO of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, told The Independent.
“Political violence has been around as long as there have been politics, but I do think that the last few years are different.”
Josh Marcus has the details.
Teachers, firefighters and other workers celebrated Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Now they could be looking for new jobs
04:00
,
Rhian Lubin
An ever-growing list of workers across the country are being removed from their jobs or facing sanctions for praising Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
While those within MAGA and Trumpworld are reeling from Wednesday’s shocking violence on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, others celebrated the right-wing political activist’s death online.
Republicans are demanding action against people who reacted to his killing by “praising, rationalising, or making light” of it or by “belittling” Kirk’s memory.
Kirk’s assassination has been deeply polarizing, and everyone from teachers, university staffers and media personalities, to firefighters, a U.S. Secret Service agent and a Marine is now finding themselves in hot water for reveling in the killing.
Read on...
What we know about Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow and mother of his 2 children
03:20
,
Rhian Lubin, Joe Sommerlad
Amid his rapid rise in popularity in right-wing political circles, Kirk began dating fellow evangelical Christian Erika Lane Frantzve, 36, winner of the 2012 Miss Arizona USA pageant and a political science graduate from Arizona State University, after meeting her in New York City in 2018.
They became engaged the following December and were married in May 2021 in her native Scottsdale.
According to her official website, Frantzve was crowned Miss Arizona USA in 2012, a pageant once owned by President Donald Trump, and is now studying for her doctorate in Biblical studies at Liberty University.
She is known for founding Everyday Heroes Like You, a non-profit supporting under-recognized charities, for hosting the Midweek Rise Up podcast, for running the BIBLE365 ministry program, and PROCLAIM, an accompanying faith-driven clothing brand.
On her LinkedIn page, Frantzve says that she is a real estate agent with The Corcoran Group in New York City, although it’s unclear when that profile was last updated.
The couple recently celebrated the seventh anniversary of their first date together. Frantzve revealed in a September 2023 Instagram post that she and Kirk went on their first date in New York City in 2018.
“5 years ago today, we sat inside Bills Burgers in NYC deep in conversation and banter over theology, philosophy, and politics, and at the end, you paused, looked at me, and said, ‘I’m going to date you.”
In a 2024 video on Turning Point USA’s YouTube channel, Kirk said that after their “very, very long dinner,” he knew “almost immediately” that Frantzve was “the one.”
Kirk proposed in December 2020, and they wed six months later on May 8, 2021. Their wedding was later described by the bride as being “very intimate,” with no bridesmaids or groomsmen, only close friends and family.
The couple has two young children: a daughter born in August 2022 and a son born in May 2024.
Watch: 'Where's Daddy?' Erika Kirk reveals what she said to daughter, 3
03:00
,
Rhian Lubin
Erika Kirk recalls the heartbreaking moment her young daughter asked her: "Where's Daddy?"
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 13, 2025
"What do you tell a 3-year-old? She's three. I said, 'Baby, Daddy loves you so much. Don't you worry, he's on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry budget." pic.twitter.com/MMhJvF3Ajv
Trump calls for ‘revenge at the voter box’
02:40
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump said Friday that in response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, he would like to see “revenge” manifested at the ballot box.
The president went on the Fox & Friends morning sho,w where he broke the news that law enforcement officials had detained a person suspected of killing Kirk at a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Co-host Brian Kilmeade asked the president about comments from many on the political right — made before Kirk’s suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, was apprehended — that Democrats, the press, and left-wing activists caused Kirk’s death.
Eric Garcia reports.
Recap: Celebrity reactions to ‘senseless’ Charlie Kirk shooting
02:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Chris Pratt has led celebrity tributes to right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot at a rally in Utah on Wednesday, September 10.
The Turning Point USA founder and leading ally of President Donald Trump was 31 years old at the time of his death, which has been called a “political assassination” by officials. A manhunt for his killer is underway.
Figures from both sides of the political aisle have paid tribute, including celebrities such as Hollywood actor Pratt, TV host Piers Morgan, and comedian Rosie O’Donnell.
Read on...
Recap: Charlie Kirk's widow addresses the nation after husband's assassination
02:22
,
Rachel Dobkin
Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, addressed the nation Friday night for the first time since her husband's assassination two days prior. Here’s a recap of what she said:
- Erika thanked law enforcement for capturing the suspected gunman who fatally shot Kirk at Utah Valley University during an event for his conservative organization Turning Point USA’s “The American Comeback” tour.
- She also thanked first responders who “struggled herorically to save Charles’ life,” executives at Turning Point USA for “all their work in these terrible days,” Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, for bringing her husband’s coffin home and President Donald Trump for his “amazing” friendship.
- Erika vowed to continue her husband’s work, saying, “ You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.”
- She said “The American Comeback” tour will continue, as will Turning Point’s America Fest in December.
- Erika recalled telling her three-year-old daughter that Charlie is on “a work trip with Jesus” after she asked her, “Where’s daddy?”
- She encouraged high school and college students to find a local Turning Point chapter to join and encouraged anyone who isn’t a member of a church to join one.
Watch: Trump response when asked how he's holding up about loss of Charlie Kirk
02:20
,
Rhian Lubin
President Donald Trump was asked Friday how he was holding up after the loss of Charlie Kirk.
Watch his response below:
Q: My condolences on the loss of your friend Charlie Kirk. How are you holding up?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 12, 2025
TRUMP: I think very good. And by the way, right there you see all the trucks. They just started construction of the new ballroom for the White House, which is something they've been trying to get… pic.twitter.com/Jrw4j2fnVZ
Watch: Erika Kirk breaks her silence after her husband Charlie's assassination
02:12
,
Rachel Dobkin
BREAKING: Erika Kirk says Turning Point USA's campus tour will continue and her husband's radio and podcast show will go on: "In a world filled with chaos, doubt and uncertainty, my husband's voice will remain — and it will ring out louder and more clearly than ever." pic.twitter.com/n62dJfcujO
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 13, 2025
Erika Kirk said college tour her husband was killed on will continue
02:02
,
Rachel Dobkin
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, said the college tour her husband was killed on will continue.
“We'll never surrender. We never will, ever, ever,” she said Friday night. “Our campus tour this fall will continue. There will be even more tours in the years to come.”
Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University, the first stop of his conservative organization Turning Point USA’s “The American Comeback” tour.
A countdown for the next tour stop is still ticking, showing an event at Colorado State University starting in less than six days.
She also said Turning Point’s America Fest, scheduled to take place this December in Phoenix, will still happen, saying, “It will be greater than ever.”
“ The radio and podcast show that he was so proud of will go on,” Erika said. “In a world filled with chaos, doubt and uncertainty, my husband's voice will remain, and it will ring out louder and more clearly than ever, and his wisdom will endure.”
Erika Kirk told her daughter Charlie is on 'a work trip with Jesus'
01:47
,
Rachel Dobkin
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, shares how she struggled to talk about her husband’s death with their young daughter.
“What do you tell a three-year-old?” she said in a Friday night broadcast, recalling the moment her daughter asked, “Where’s daddy?”
She said she told her daughter, “He’s on a work trip with Jesus.”
Erika and Charlie also share a one-year-old son.
‘The movement my husband built will not die’: Charlie Kirk’s widow vows to continue slain husband’s work
01:38
,
Rachel Dobkin
Charlie Kirk’s widow fought back tears as she broke her silence two days after the assassination of her husband, and she vowed to continue the right-wing movement he built.
Erika Kirk spoke publicly for the first time since Kirk’s killing, standing beside the empty chair where her husband would broadcast his show.
Standing at a podium with an image of Kirk, her address was streamed across the conservative group Turning Point USA’s platforms Friday from Phoenix, Arizona.
“The movement my husband built will not die,” she vowed. “It won't. I refuse to let that happen. It will not die.”
Read more from Rhian Lubin:
Erika Kirk remembers her husband as a family man
01:31
,
Rachel Dobkin
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, said during a Friday night broadcast, “Charlie loved his children and he loved me with all of his heart.”
She said his priority was “to revive the American family.”
Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, breaks her silence after her husband's assassination
01:28
,
Rachel Dobkin
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, has spoken out for the first time since her husband was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University.
“He loved what he did,” Erika said of her husband during a Friday night broadcast.
A timeline of Charlie Kirk's assassination and the arrest of a suspect
01:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of a 22-year-old Utah man on suspicion of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a Wednesday event at Utah Valley University.
Tyler Robinson was taken into custody Thursday night, and investigators said they believe he acted alone.
Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was a top podcaster and ally of President Donald Trump. He led an effort to remake the Republican Party’s get-out-the-vote effort in the 2024 election.
Here are moments leading up to Kirk’s event, his death, and Robinson's arrest:
Suspect had become ‘more political’ in years before allegedly shooting Charlie Kirk dead, investigators say
Saturday 13 September 2025 00:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
The 22-year-old man accused of killing Republican activist Charlie Kirk this past week had become “more political” in recent years, according to family members, investigators said on Friday morning.
Tyler Robinson, the Utah man identified as the shooter, was apprehended by authorities Thursday evening after more than a day of searching for him. Officials said they were informed Robinson “confessed” or at least implied he fatally shot Kirk to a family member.
“We got him,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said to start a Friday press conference.
Ariana Baio reports.
What we know about Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika and family
Saturday 13 September 2025 00:15
,
Oliver O'Connell
Charlie Kirk, the MAGA activist and Turning Point USA founder who was shot dead on Wednesday, is survived by his wife Erika and two young children.
Joe Sommerlad takes a look at the family left behind after Kirk’s assassination.
NEW: Charlie Kirk's widow Erika set to break silence on his killing tonight
Friday 12 September 2025 23:53
,
Rhian Lubin
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, is set to break her silence on her husband’s killing tonight, Turning Point USA said in a news release.
She is due to speak at 8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. MST.
We’ll bring you the latest from that address when it happens.
Erika Kirk, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance, escorted her husband’s casket back home to Phoenix, Arizona, Thursday.
She was seen clutching the hand of the second lady as she disembarked Air Force Two.
Tyler Robinson's academic history
Friday 12 September 2025 23:45
,
Rhian Lubin
The Utah Board of Education has issued a statement confirming suspect Tyler Robinson’s academic history.
They confirmed that Robinson is a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College.
“He briefly attended Utah State University (one semester in 2021) and received concurrent enrollment credit through Utah Tech University while in high school (2019-2021),” the statement added.
“Attempts to silence or intimidate those voices have no place here. We will continue working to ensure our students, faculty and guests can safely express their perspectives,” the board said.
Here’s everything we know about Robinson so far.
Watch: Friends and colleagues pay tribute to Charlie Kirk in first episode of show since his death
Friday 12 September 2025 23:26
,
Oliver O'Connell
New: Sacked MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd reacts to firing
Friday 12 September 2025 23:07
,
Rhian Lubin
Matthew Dowd, the political analyst sacked this week by MSNBC for comments he made on air about Charlie Kirk, has accused the network of caving to a “right wing mob.”
Dowd hit out at MSNBC in a Substack post and claimed his comments were taken out of context.
“The Right Wing media mob ginned up, went after me on a plethora of platforms, and MSNBC reacted to that mob,” Dowd said, adding that he was “getting over the shell shock of the past few days.”
Before Kirk was confirmed dead or the target of the shooting, Dowd was asked Wednesday by anchor Katy Tur about the “environment in which a shooting like this happens.”
Dowd said Kirk has been “one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups.”
“And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions. You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place. And that’s the unfortunate environment we are in.”
But the decision to fire Dowd was not the result of outside pressure, an executive at the network told the Associated Press, who spoke under condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to talk about personnel issues.
Widespread availability of graphic Charlie Kirk shooting video shows content moderation challenges
Friday 12 September 2025 22:48
,
Oliver O'Connell
Immediately after Charlie Kirk was shot during a college event in Utah, graphic video of what happened was available almost instantly online, from several angles, in slow-motion and real-time speed. Millions of people watched — sometimes whether they wanted to or not — as the videos autoplayed on social media platforms.
Video was easy to find on X, on Facebook, on TikTok, on Instagram, on YouTube — even on President Donald Trump's Truth Social.
Read on...
Here's what we know about the suspect and the charges he faces
Friday 12 September 2025 22:35
,
Oliver O'Connell
A suspect in the assassination of conservative activist and close Trump ally Charlie Kirk has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced on Friday.
“We got him,” Cox said at a news conference to announce the arrest of Robinson, who was taken into custody Thursday on suspicion of capital murder, weapons, and obstruction offenses.
Here’s what we know so far:
Previous presidents projected calm after tragic events to ease the nation. Trump has mostly taken a different approach
Friday 12 September 2025 22:23
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump’s heated reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk has provided a stark contrast with the way his predecessors have tended to deal with moments of crisis through American history.
In the face of national tragedy, the public often looks to the commander-in-chief to serve as a unifying and guiding voice to move forward.
This time, things were a little different, as Ariana Baio reports.
No bag checks, six cops, and guns allowed — what security was like at Kirk's event
Friday 12 September 2025 22:10
,
Oliver O'Connell
The fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at an open-air event on a college campus with hundreds of people in attendance has called into question whether security failures allowed a gunman to enter the school and fire from a nearby rooftop.
There did not appear to be any bag checks or security checkpoints for Wednesday’s event on the sprawling Utah Valley University campus, which covers more than 500 acres in Orem, Utah.
Alex Woodward reports.
AOC postpones rally over security fears
Friday 12 September 2025 21:58
,
Oliver O'Connell
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York is rescheduling a weekend rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, after the assassination of MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk.