Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the murder of beloved conservative leader Charlie Kirk. Kirk was just 31 years old when he was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University.
The event was intended to kick off a grand college tour for Turning Point USA, the nonprofit Kirk founded in 2012. With a microphone in hand and a “Freedom” message emblazoned across his chest, the married father of two was ready to engage with America’s youth about family, conservative values, and Christian faith.
Everything changed at 12:23 p.m. Mountain Time that day when a single bullet struck Kirk in the neck. Though he was rushed to the hospital, Kirk succumbed to his injuries shortly after. By 2:40 p.m., President Donald Trump, Kirk’s personal friend, announced Charlie Kirk’s death. The following day, Kirk’s remains were transported aboard Air Force Two, and Vice President JD Vance personally escorted the body from Salt Lake City back to Phoenix, Arizona, for burial.
Vance wrote at the time: “Now that Charlie is in heaven, I’ll ask him to talk to big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly. You ran a good race, my friend. We’ve got it from here.”
At about the same time Vance returned Kirk’s body to Arizona, Tyler Robinson was arrested in connection with the shooting. Family members reportedly persuaded him to turn himself in. Just last week, a Utah judge found probable cause in the case, and Robinson, 23, has been bound over for trial on charges including aggravated murder. Prosecutors have indicated they intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
Despite their grief, Turning Point USA had to scramble to keep the organization going. Barely a week later, his wife, Erika, was unanimously elected as CEO. “The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” Mrs. Kirk said. “To everyone listening tonight across America: The movement my husband built will not die. It won’t. I refuse to let that happen.”
Her words at Kirk’s memorial service on September 21 were even more profound. Erika Kirk publicly forgave her husband’s killer, stating: “Charlie passionately wanted to reach and save the lost boys of the West — the young men who feel like they have no direction, no purpose, no faith, and no reason to live. … He wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life.”
Though Erika Kirk has forgiven the shooter, she remains determined to see him held responsible for Kirk’s death. When the suspect’s case was bound over for trial, she called it “an important step in our family’s pursuit of justice for him.”
Turning Point USA continues to honor Charlie’s memory. The day after the memorial service, the group resumed its scheduled campus tour and fulfilled each previously planned date, including a stop at Utah State University on September 30. The events featured Kirk’s friends and conservative colleagues, such as Allie Beth Stuckey and Glenn Beck. A recent report noted that a statue of Kirk had arrived at Utah Valley University, creating some controversy.
Turning Point USA is hosting an event at UVU on Thursday to commemorate Kirk’s death and legacy while continuing its mission to evangelize Christian culture among young people. The university has closed its campus for the day and canceled classes in honor of Charlie Kirk and “the tragic events” surrounding his death.
