ERIKA KIRK SPEAKS TO MEDIA FOR FIRST TIME SINCE HUSBAND CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION
In an emotional and closely watched appearance, Erika Kirk, widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, addressed the media for the first time since her husband was shot dead during a public event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. Her remarks, filled with grief but also with strength, gave the nation its first glimpse into the personal toll of a tragedy that has dominated headlines for days.
Standing at a podium in Phoenix, Arizona, flanked by members of her family and church community, Erika’s voice shook as she began. “Charlie was my partner, my best friend, and the father of our children,” she said. “To the world, he was a leader. To us, he was simply our everything. His loss has left a hole that can never be filled.”
The 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA was fatally struck in the neck by a single bullet while speaking to thousands of students at the Utah campus. Despite immediate medical attention, he succumbed to his injuries. The FBI has since released surveillance footage of a suspect fleeing across a rooftop, but no arrest has been made.
Erika thanked supporters from across the country who have reached out since the killing. “Your prayers, your kindness, your messages — they mean more than I can say. In the darkest days of my life, they have been a light,” she said, her eyes welling with tears. She spoke movingly about her two young children, noting that while they may not fully grasp the loss, they will grow up knowing “their father was a man of courage, conviction, and love.”
She also addressed the growing wave of anger and political rhetoric surrounding her husband’s death, urging restraint. “Charlie believed in debate, in dialogue, in the power of ideas. He never wanted hatred or violence to replace conversation. If you want to honor his memory, do not answer hate with hate. Choose compassion, choose courage, and carry forward his mission peacefully.”
The widow’s call for calm stood in contrast to the heated political fallout in Washington, where leaders on both sides have condemned the killing but clashed over its implications. Former President Donald Trump has vowed to award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom and promised swift justice, while bipartisan voices have warned that the tragedy reflects the dangerous rise of political violence in the United States.
Erika’s public statement also included gratitude for the officials and first responders who tried to save her husband’s life, as well as those continuing the search for the gunman. “We pray for justice,” she said, “but we also pray for peace.”
As she concluded, Erika’s words turned personal once again. Looking briefly upward, she said: “Charlie, we love you, we miss you, and we will honor you in everything we do.” She then stepped back from the microphone, visibly moved, as supporters and family surrounded her in a moment of silence.
The appearance, though brief, resonated across the nation. For many, Erika Kirk’s statement was not only a widow’s farewell but also a reminder of the human cost behind political headlines. In her grief, she offered the country a call for compassion — and a vow that her husband’s light would not be extinguished.