Erika Kirk vowed Friday to continue her late husband’s conservative movement and the work of Turning Point USA, saying the organization’s activities would go forward after Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a university event earlier this week.
Speaking in an emotional livestream, Erika Kirk, 36, said the group’s annual conference, Americafest, will still take place in December in Phoenix and pledged more nationwide events in the years ahead. The 31-year-old Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was struck by a single bullet while addressing a crowd at Utah Valley University and later died of his injuries.
Erika Kirk stood beside an empty chair that once sat in her husband’s studio as she addressed viewers, pausing several times to collect herself. She thanked law enforcement and first responders for their actions and singled out former President Donald Trump and his family, as well as Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha, for their support. She also thanked Turning Point USA employees and described plans to continue the organization’s radio and podcast operations.
"There will be even more tours in the years to come," she said, referring to her husband’s ‘‘American Comeback’’ tour, which had brought him to college campuses around the country. "Charlie, I promise I will never let your legacy die, baby. I promise I’ll make Turning Point USA the biggest thing that this nation has ever seen."
Authorities identified and arrested the man alleged to have fired the shot, and Charlie Kirk’s death is being treated as a political assassination, Turning Point USA and law enforcement officials said. Investigators have not released further details, and charges and the investigatory timeline remain pending.
In her remarks, Erika Kirk described personal facets of her husband’s life, saying he prioritized efforts to "revive the American family," loved his children and was proud of his work. She delivered several direct appeals to followers and called on supporters to attend church. After the livestream she posted images on Instagram of herself grieving alongside her husband’s open casket and published a post that said, in part, "The sound of this widow weeping echoes throughout this world like a battle cry," adding that she intended to ensure her husband’s mission would grow.
Charlie Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA, rose to prominence through campus speaking events, social media and conservative media appearances. He was a frequent supporter of Trump-era policies and a polarizing figure on college campuses and in conservative circles. Turning Point USA has organized activism and events aimed at conservative students and young adults nationwide.
Erika Kirk’s pledge to expand the organization and continue its planned events signals immediate continuity for Turning Point USA’s calendar, even as the group and investigators contend with the aftermath of a shooting that has drawn national attention and led leaders across the conservative movement to offer condolences. The investigation into the shooting and any forthcoming legal proceedings are ongoing.