Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Wednesday while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. A husband and father of two young children, Kirk was at the first stop of his organization’s “The American Comeback Tour,” which was scheduled to visit multiple college campuses across the country.
President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death on social media, writing, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead.”
“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us,” the president’s post continued. “Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
Turning Point USA released a statement asking for prayers for Kirk’s family and loved ones.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two children: a daughter who turned three in August and a son who turned one in May. The couple frequently shared photos of their family on social media while keeping their children’s names and faces private.
Hours before the shooting on Wednesday, Erika Kirk posted a Bible verse on social media: “Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” She has not yet made a public statement regarding the shooting or her husband’s death.
A former Miss Arizona USA and collegiate basketball player, Erika Kirk is currently pursuing a doctorate in Biblical studies at Liberty University. According to her website, she is the founder of Proclaim, a faith-based clothing line, hosts the “Midweek Rise Up” podcast, and has established two nonprofit organizations. She was often seen alongside her husband at public appearances and speaking engagements.
The couple married in Arizona on May 8, 2021, after getting engaged in December 2020. In a social media post from 2023, Erika Kirk recalled their first date in New York City, writing, “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 joint appearance on “The Charlie Kirk Show” this past April, they discussed their marriage and family life. Charlie Kirk advised young married couples to “keep your faith, obviously first, and try to identify any fleshy problems that you might be having.”
Erika Kirk added, “You have to continually invest in the confidence in one another, that you’re on the same team. You support each other. You love each other. You’re not going to undercut each other.”
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