It would be understandable if Erika Kirk wanted retribution.
The horrific death of her husband on a college campus in Utah was recent enough to be easily counted in days. In an interview with the New York Times ahead of conservative activist Charlie Kirk‘s funeral, however, she said that his assassination was “God’s plan” and that her faith keeps her from wanting revenge.
“I’ve had so many people ask, ‘Do you feel anger toward this man? Like, do you want to seek the death penalty?’ I’ll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this. I do not want that man’s blood on my ledger,” she told the outlet. “Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: ‘Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?’ And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?”
The Turning Point USA founder was at the first stop of a planned tour of college campuses when he was fatally shot in the neck. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson has been charged with murder. Just prior to that day, however, Erika Kirk described a charged and excited atmosphere in her household.
“His adrenal glands were just going off,” Erika Kirk said. “He’d been waiting all summer to begin touring… He had whiteboard sessions for hours. Mock debates. He was just so excited.”
Erika Kirk said that she was meant to be at the first event of her husband’s “American Comeback” tour, but stayed behind in Arizona because her mother was undergoing medical treatment. She got the call that her husband had been shot while sitting in her mother’s hospital room. Charlie Kirk’s plane took Erika to Provo, where she insisted on seeing her husband’s body.
“I want to see what they did to my husband,” she recalled to the Times. “His eyes were semi-open. And he had this knowing, Mona Lisa-like half-smile. Like he’d died happy. Like Jesus rescued him. The bullet came, he blinked, and he was in heaven.”
A memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona today is set to feature President Trump, Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and more than half a dozen top Trump administration figures addressing an NFL-sized crowd at State Farm Stadium.
Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed as he spoke at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. A 22-year-old suspect has been charged with aggravated murder.
Kirk’s assassination has rocked the conservative world. A prolific and sometimes controversial speaker, Kirk was known for his college campus events and debates, his role in mobilizing GOP voters and his close ties to the Trump administration.
Where is Charlie Kirk’s memorial service taking place?
The service takes place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, near Phoenix. The stadium, which is home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, can typically seat up to 63,400 people.
Organizers say security will be tight, with “TSA-level screening” expected.
Federal authorities have designated the memorial service as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event, a senior Department of Homeland Security official said. That designation is used for “significant events with national and/or international importance that require extensive federal interagency support,” like the Super Bowl.
What time is Charlie Kirk’s memorial service?
The service began at 11 a.m. local time in Arizona, or 2 p.m. ET.
Who will speak at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service?
President Trump and Vice President JD Vance are both scheduled to speak, along with the activist’s widow, Erika Kirk, who was named Turning Point USA’s new CEO on Thursday.
Several other administration officials are set to speak, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and key Trump aides Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor.
The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is also listed as a speaker, as is right-wing media personality and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Many of the speakers had extensive personal and professional ties with the slain activist.
Kirk was a stalwart supporter of the president starting during his first campaign in 2016, and he remained allied with Mr. Trump after he left office under a cloud of controversy following the Capitol riot in January 2021. In last year’s presidential race, Kirk’s Turning Point USA was widely credited with assisting the Trump campaign with grassroots voter mobilization.
Kirk was also close with Donald Trump Jr. and worked closely with the younger Trump as an aide during the 2016 campaign. “Charlie wasn’t just a friend — he was like a little brother to me,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X.
Vance has credited Kirk with introducing him to Donald Trump Jr. ahead of his 2022 Senate campaign, and with advocating “in public and private” for the president to choose Vance as his running mate last year. Kirk’s body was flown from Utah to Arizona on Vance’s jet, Air Force Two.
Kennedy has called Kirk the “primary architect of my unification with President Trump,” referring to the former Democrat’s decision to drop his independent campaign for president last year and publicly endorse Mr. Trump at a Turning Point Action rally.
Several Christian musicians are also listed on the program: Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Kari Jobe Carnes and Cody Carnes.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Kirk was the leader of Turning Point USA, a group for young conservatives that he co-founded in 2012, at the age of 18. A native of the Chicago area, Kirk briefly attended community college but dropped out to pursue political activism full-time.
He was a ubiquitous presence in politics: He hosted a daily talk radio show and podcast, and he visited scores of college campuses every year, where he was known for hosting rapid-fire debates with left-leaning students.
Kirk frequently drew controversy for his views. He supported Mr. Trump’s false claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election, and his group maintained a “Professor Watchlist” of college instructors accused of spreading “leftist propaganda.”
Turning Point USA says it has chapters at thousands of high schools and colleges, and the group’s political arm, Turning Point Action, engages in grassroots canvassing.
Kirk was also a family man with two young children
“He was the perfect father. He was the perfect husband,” Erika Kirk said last week in her first public remarks after the shooting.
Who is Erika Kirk?
Charlie and Erika Kirk wed in 2021, after they began dating in 2018.
A Phoenix-area native, Erika Kirk won Miss Arizona USA in 2012, attended Arizona State University and later earned a juris master degree from Liberty University.
She was a frequent presence at Turning Point USA events, where she spoke about politics, religion and her conservative views on family and marriage. She also founded a clothing line called PROCLAIM and a ministry called BIBLEin365.
During one appearance on “The Charlie Kirk Show” earlier this year, Erika Kirk said she’s more conservative than her husband.
“Not even close,” her husband agreed. “I am a moderate compared to Erika.”
In public remarks two days after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Erika Kirk vowed that the “movement my husband built will not die.”
On Thursday, the board of Turning Point USA announced it had unanimously chosen Erika Kirk to serve as the organization’s new chair and CEO.
What: Public memorial service for Charlie KirkDate: Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025Time: 11 a.m. local time; 2 p.m. ETLocation: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, ArizonaOnline stream: Live on CBS News 24/7 on your mobile or streaming device
On an Orem campus still reeling from last week’s slaying of Charlie Kirk, thousands gathered Friday to grieve together — and, collectively, begin healing.
Utah Valley University officials, students and folks of all ages and backgrounds from across the United States assembled at the school’s UCCU Center for a “Vigil for Unity” in memory of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed during a campus event on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
Kirk, 31, a married father of two, was killed by a single bullet during a “Prove Me Wrong” event, in front of 3,000 students and spectators.
The speakers at Friday’s vigil included religious and campus leaders — along with musical performances, a video tribute and a hope-filled readings from sacred scripture.
The hour-long gathering ended with all in attendance standing and raising flameless candles, illuminating the darkened campus venue.
“For Charlie!”, one man from the crowd shouted.
His call was repeated, again and again, as the vigil came to its close.
A school president’s witness to campus goodness & mercy
UVU President Astrid Tuminez thanked her “beloved community” for the kindness and service offered over the past nine days.
Given last week’s events on the campus grounds, she said, it is understandable to feel like the ancient psalmist who wondered if God had forsaken him.
“Shock, grief, abandonment, fear and hurt have filled our hearts since September 10,” said Tuminez. “A father and husband was killed on our campus. A wife and children were left bereft. And thousands in our own UVU family experienced trauma.”
The UVU president offered “deep condolences and prayers of peace” for Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, and the couple’s two young children.
She then spoke of her love for “the UVU family” and shared a few words of hope.
Utah Valley University President Astrid S. Tuminez speaks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
“My beloved UVU community, surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives,” said Tuminez. “I have seen goodness and mercy. Our community, though wounded, showed up to serve one another.
“We hugged each other. We offered trauma and mental health support. We restored belonging. Our law enforcement partners helped us feel safe again. Hundreds, if not thousands, offered prayers for peace, clarity and resilience.
“We listened and gave each other patience and grace.”
The UVU campus has again reopened. The students and their teachers and friends have returned.
“Our students described their return using words like ‘scared’, ‘violated’, ‘devastated’, and ‘sorrowful’.
“But at the same time they also said, ‘My dream of an education is still strong. We will get through it. My professors have supported me. I am thankful for my friends — most of whom I met here at UVU’.”
Tuminez ended her remarks with calls to action.
First, be grateful for broken hearts. “Our broken hearts soften us to connect with one another as humans, as citizens and residents of Utah and America, and as children of the divine.”
Second, in the coming weeks and months, “let us pause and slow down when anger rises in our hearts towards those we think might be our enemy. Let’s ask ourselves, ‘What do I have in common with them?’.”
And third: “I ask you to support UVU and be patient with us as we recover from this tragedy.
“We will help every student succeed. We will offer opportunities for skills-building in dialogue, peacemaking and hard conversations. We have a long and difficult road ahead, and we can only succeed if we unite.
“I am honored to be a part of this beloved community, and I urge each of us to remember that love can be stronger than fear.”
Hundreds attend a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Elder Matthew S. Holland: UVU is a place of ‘fearless resolve’
Elder Matthew S. Holland, a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, holds a time-earned tender spot for UVU.
For nine years, he served as the school’s president. He and his wife, Paige and their children love UVU.
That love, he said at Friday’s vigil, “has never left our hearts, In fact, that love beats today as strong as ever.”
Last week’s campus shooting left wounds “seen and unseen” in every direction, said Elder Holland. First and foremost among its casualties were Charlie Kirk and his family. Additionally, this “lone act of violence” pierced hearts and minds everywhere.
“In response,” he added, “it’s natural and fitting for UVU to ask: ‘Can we possibly heal?’.”
“‘Can peace and agreement ever be found?’
“I’m only one voice, but the answer for me is, ‘Yes’,’ said Elder Holland.
Elder Matthew S. Holland, a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
“The first harbinger or signal of my hope for peace and unity is UVU itself. This remarkable institution was created to provide space for anybody who needed access to higher education in some form.
“Since then, this school has always opened its doors widely to students from any economic, political, religious, cultural and academic background in every phase of its development, and has — by vision, policies and practice — remained a place for all.”
Thus, he declared, UVU is uniquely built to survive such a tempestuous moment.
Elder Holland added he hopes that all in the UVU community will actively respond with compassion for all who are hurting.
“This is a time,” he said. “for shared burdens and collective healing.”
The “fearless resolve” being shown at UVU is evident in a world torn by much malice and division. “You are already the hands and hearts by which peace, rather than hate, will prevail on this campus,” he said.
Seek and discover hope
UVU student body president Kyle Cullimore acknowledged Friday that it’s hard to talk about peace at such a heavy moment on campus.
“I believe,” he said, “that peace begins with something simple yet so powerful: Hope.
“I don’t mean a shallow or surface-level kind of hope that ignores the reality and the tragedy that happened on our campus, or the kind that just tells us to move on.
“I mean the kind of hope that we can find only when we willingly search the very depths of our souls. The kind of hope that tells us that even though we’ve all been through something dark, we know the sun will rise again.”
At tragic moments such as the Kirk shooting, it’s tempting to seek isolation, point fingers at others and attach labels.
“We must stop putting labels on one another,” said Cullimore. “All these labels do is divide us and limit how we see one another. When we treat each other based on these labels, that divide continues to grow and grow and grow.
“It becomes easier to dehumanize each other because we don’t remember the basic truth that we are all humans endowed with inherent rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, peace.”
Before inviting all to join in the vigil candle lighting, Cullimore was joined on the UCCU Center stage by all his fellow Utah college student body presidents as a show of Beehive State unity.
Representatives from Utah universities stand behind Utah Valley University Student Body President Kyle Cullimore as he holds up a candle after giving closing remarks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Also speaking Friday was Juliana Boerio-Goates, a BYU professor emerita and a Catholic lay ecclesial minister.
Drawing on the words of scripture, she encouraged vigil attendees to “make conscious, intentional efforts to look for whatever is true, honorable, just, and gracious in those who have wounded us.”
Sow love and respond to injury with forgiveness.
Pain felt far beyond UVU’s Orem campus
The shock of Kirk’s murder has not been confined to UVU campus.
Preston Parsons, a current freshman at Texas Tech University, stood at Kirk’s makeshift memorial on the UVU campus, Friday.
“I needed to come and pay my respects,” he said. Parsons was in his dorm room in Texas working with his own Turning Point chapter, when he heard the news Kirk had been killed.
“I think that we need, more than anything right now, to feel a sense of community and unity,” he said.
A photo of Charlie Kirk and his wife, Erika Kirk, with their children is displayed among other items in a memorial left by well-wishers in the courtyard on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, as students return to campus following the shooting death of Charlie Kirk in the courtyard a week prior. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
The sidewalks surrounding UVU are colored with scriptures and messages of love to Kirk, his wife Erika and their two small children. His memorial on the grass in front of UVU is filled with American flags and flowers.
In neat, pink handwriting, leading up to the memorial are sprawled the words of Jesus Christ, as recorded in Matthew: “But I say unto you, love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.”
Another, in all caps, says, “Rest well, my great pal. We have your back and will take it from here.”
Elisa Demartin, a senior at UVU, stood near the edge of the memorial and told the Deseret News, “I’m sad and then angry, and he made such a big impact.”
“This is beautiful,” she said, looking at the memorial.
Utah Valley University President Astrid S. Tuminez speaks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Hundreds attend a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Tori Merrill gets emotional during a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Trey Winget and Shea Winget attend a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
A woman holds a candle, flower and flyer during a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Attendees hold up battery operated candles during a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
The Utah Valley Institute Singers perform at a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Lydia Hopper, Marie Hopper, and Adelae Knuteson attend a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
The Utah Valley Interfaith Choir performs “Let There Be Peace on Earth” during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Elder Matthew S. Holland, a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Erica Carcamo and her daughter Monique Carcamo embrace during a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Austin Forsgren, Brody Miller and Jeb Jacobi hold their hats over their hearts during a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Caleb Chilcutt, president of the Utah Valley University Turning Pointing USA chapter, speaks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Dr. Juliana Boerio-Goates, lay ecclesial minister from the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, speaks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
The Utah Valley Interfaith Choir performs “Let There Be Peace on Earth” during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Representatives from Utah universities stand behind Utah Valley University Student Body President Kyle Cullimore as he holds up a candle after giving closing remarks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Representatives from Utah universities hold up candles during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Elder Matthew S. Holland, a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks during the Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
The order was filed in Utah’s Fourth Judicial District Court in Provo on September 16, and remains in effect until further order of the court.
Why It Matters
The protective order against Robinson is significant not only as a safeguard for Erika Kirk but also because it highlights broader issues surrounding political violence, public safety, and the justice system’s handling of high-profile cases.
With prosecutors pursuing the death penalty and Turning Point USA‘s future now closely tied to how Erika Kirk carries forward her late husband’s mission, the case underscores the intersection of criminal justice, politics, and the risks facing public figures in today’s polarized climate.
Pretrial protective order barring Tyler James Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, from contacting Kirk’s widow, Erika, Provo, Utah Sept. 16, 2025. (District Court Of Utah) Pretrial protective order barring Tyler James Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, from contacting Kirk’s widow, Erika, Provo, Utah Sept. 16, 2025. (District Court Of Utah) District Court Of Utah
What To Know
Protective Order Details
The order identifies Erika Kirk as the protected party and prohibits Tyler Robinson from engaging in harassment, threats, stalking, or “any other conduct that would place the protected person or designated family or household members in reasonable fear of bodily injury.”
The court found that Robinson “represents a credible threat to the physical safety of the protected person,” according to the filing signed by Judge Tony F. Graf.
The terms further bar Robinson from contacting Erika Kirk directly or indirectly, including through phone, email, text, social media, or mail.
Although incarcerated, he is also prohibited from visiting her residence, workplace, or school, and must remain away from her in any location where they may encounter one another.
Violation of the order could lead to further arrest and new criminal charges, the filing states.
The charges stem from the September 10 shooting at Utah Valley University, where Kirk, 30, was speaking at a Turning Point USA rally. Prosecutors allege Robinson used a high-powered bolt-action rifle in the attack.
The hearing on September 16 marked Robinson’s first court appearance since the incident.
Judge Graf told the court he would issue the protective order in favor of Erika Kirk, following the prosecution’s request for her safety.
Robinson has not yet entered a plea and does not currently have legal representation. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Graf said a public defender is expected to be appointed before Robinson’s next hearing on September 29.
Responses and Public Statements
Following her husband’s death, Erika Kirk issued a statement pledging to continue his work through Turning Point USA’s American Comeback Tour.
“The evil doers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done,” she said. “If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea … you have no idea what you have just unleashed. You have no idea the fire you ignited within this wife.”
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, had been a high-profile figure in conservative politics. His killing drew national attention, with allies and critics alike weighing in on the implications for political discourse and public safety.
Legal Implications
Under Utah law, violation of a protective order in a felony case can be prosecuted as a third-degree felony, while violations linked to misdemeanor charges may result in a class A misdemeanor.
The order also carries federal implications, making it unlawful for Robinson to possess or purchase firearms or ammunition while it is in effect.
The filing emphasizes that “the parties cannot change or dismiss this order. Only the court has the authority to change or dismiss this order.”
What People Are Saying
Judge Tony F. Graf in the order: “[Tyler Robinson] represents a credible threat to the physical safety of the protected person.”
Erika Kirk said: “The evil doers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done.”
What Happens Next
Robinson is scheduled to return to court on September 29, when a public defender is expected to be appointed, and the case will move toward an arraignment.
The pretrial protective order barring him from contacting Erika Kirk remains in effect, and prosecutors have signaled their intent to seek the death penalty on the aggravated murder charge.
No trial date has been set, and because capital cases often involve lengthy pretrial proceedings, the legal process could extend for months or longer, ensuring the case continues to draw national attention given its political and public safety implications.
Conservative media personality Riley Gaines and Sumner County Mayor John Isbell were among the speakers at a Gallatin community vigil held in honor of Charlie Kirk on the evening of Sept. 14.
Hundreds gathered outside the Sumner County Administrative Building for the event, which began about 5:30 p.m. Some wore white T-shirts with the word “Freedom” printed across, the same shirt Kirk was wearing when he was killed. Others carried handmade signs and American flags.
“I know, I am certain that he is looking down, sitting right beside his creator right now and smiling at the sight of what is happening here in Sumner County, and across the nation, really across the globe,” Gaines said about Kirk.
Kirk, who was from Arlington Heights, Illinois, was speaking during his “prove me wrong” table at his American Comeback Tour stop at Utah Valley when he was fatally shot. He was taken by his security team to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the FBI said during a news conference Sept. 10. Democrats and Republicans in Tennessee have condemned the shooting in the past several days.
Sumner County Mayor John Isbell said at the Sept. 14 vigil that Kirk’s death should inspire others to come closer to the Christian faith and called him a martyr.
“Tonight I want everyone to reflect on the following: What if the blood of a martyr, yes, a modern one, is not the end of a story but the beginning of a revival?” he said, refering to what Christians believe is a period of fervent activity in the church.
Rita Brewer attends a vigil held for Charlie Kirk outside the Sumner County Administrative Building in Gallatin Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.
“What if this tragedy awakens a generation? What if it calls us, once and for all, to stop chasing comfort and start living courageously? What if Charlie’s death becomes a spark that lights a holy fire across this nation?”
Multiple speakers, including Pastor Todd Coconato of Leaves of Healing Church, called for the crowd to commit to a renewed dedication to their Christian faith and values.
“Revival is new life. This is the turning point,” he said, referring to the policital organization founded by Kirk.
What did Riley Gaines say at Gallatin Charlie Kirk vigil?
Gaines, a media personality and conservative political commentator, said she wasn’t prepared to speak at the vigil but felt called to share some words after seeing familiar faces in the audience.
The former collegiate swimmer is originally from Gallatin and graduated from University of Kentucky. She built her political platform after openly criticizing the National Colegiate Athletic Association for allowing University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas to compete in the women’s division. Thomas is transgender and tied with Gaines for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle final at the 2022 NCAA swimming championships.
Riley Gaines speaks at a vigil held for Charlie Kirk outside the Sumner County Administrative Building in Gallatin Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.
Gaines became friends with Kirk and joined him in May for his San Fransisco State University American Comeback tour stop.
“I’ll be honest, I would have been there,” she said at the vigil. “I would have been sitting in that chair right beside Charlie if I wasn’t 39 weeks pregnant. Scary, scary thought.”
Gaines said Kirk had done more for Gen Z than any other person, that he “made MAGA cool” and was the reason Donald Trump was elected president.
“They killed a man, a father of two, a husband, a Christian because they disagreed with him politically,” Gaines said. “That could have been any of us.”
“Erika, in her remarks, she put it so perfectly,” Gaines continued. “She said, ‘The evildoers have no idea what they’ve done because they have started a revival among Christians and conservatives.”
Shooting suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, is in police custody. According to early reports from authorities, the shooter acted alone, but the investigation is ongoing.
Gallatin residents say they feel they ‘knew’ Kirk
Gallatin residents Donna Drake, 55, Alicia Georgiou, 60 and Kelsie Olson, 34, went to the vigil together. They said they were compelled to attend because they felt connected to Kirk.
“We didn’t know him,” Olson said through tears.
“But you felt like your soul knew him,” Drake said.
The trio said they felt connected to Kirk through their shared Christian beliefs, and Drake said she agreed with his “whole message.”
“I think part of it is that I respected the fact that no matter what his beliefs were, he was about open dialogue and encouraged hearing from people who had different beliefs,” Georgiou said. “And what better blessing than that?”
Taylor Free, the organizer for a vigil held for Charlie Kirk outside the Sumner County Administrative Building, speaks during the event in Gallatin Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.
Olson added that she feels the country is in a “very dark time” after Kirk’s death.
“I think this has shifted history and we can kind of go one of two ways,” she said. “And I’m scared for my kids’ future. And I think just seeing people come together gives me hope that there’s a lot more good than evil.”
Event organizer Taylor Free closed the vigil by playing a synthetic audio clip that imitated Kirk’s voice. In the clip, Kirk said he wanted to introduce listeners to his “new friends,” which were computer-generated voices Christian martyrs throughout history, like Paul the Apostle, Andrew the Apostle and Saint Peter.
“My brothers and sisters, group yourself in a Bible-believing church, pray for your enemies, for our battle is spiritual,” Kirk’s synthetic voice said. “It’s time to awaken your faith. Rise up, speak truth without fear and overwhelm the world for Jesus.”
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has vowed to continue her husband’s mission after he was shot and killed at an event in Utah, with police arresting 22-year-old Tyler Robinson for the murder.”If you thought my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea, you just have no idea what you have unleashed across this entire country,” Erika Kirk said. Vigils were held across the country last night in honor of the late conservative activist. The FBI has been searching Robinson’s home for evidence and clues. Investigators say Robinson fired a single round from a bolt-action rifle, leaving behind the weapon and bullet casings engraved with messages like, “Hey fascist, catch.” Authorities say Robinson had grown increasingly political in recent years, telling family members he knew Kirk would be on the Utah Valley University campus and criticizing the conservative activist.Police say it was Robinson’s father who recognized his son as the suspect after the FBI released photos. He encouraged Robinson to turn himself in. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said, “A family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident.”Robinson is due in court Tuesday on murder charges. Both President Trump and Utah’s governor have expressed their desire for prosecutors to pursue the death penalty.Voter registration records show that Robinson is registered to vote unaffiliated with any party, although he is listed as an “inactive” voter, meaning he hasn’t voted in at least the most recent two general elections.Kentucky Rep. James Comer said people feel safer now that the suspect is in custody, but there are still concerns from lawmakers about the rise of political violence. Some lawmakers have changed or canceled their political events. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for calmer rhetoric and more security, something that is being considered on Capitol Hill.
WASHINGTON —
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has vowed to continue her husband’s mission after he was shot and killed at an event in Utah, with police arresting 22-year-old Tyler Robinson for the murder.
“If you thought my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea, you just have no idea what you have unleashed across this entire country,” Erika Kirk said.
Vigils were held across the country last night in honor of the late conservative activist.
The FBI has been searching Robinson’s home for evidence and clues. Investigators say Robinson fired a single round from a bolt-action rifle, leaving behind the weapon and bullet casings engraved with messages like, “Hey fascist, catch.”
Authorities say Robinson had grown increasingly political in recent years, telling family members he knew Kirk would be on the Utah Valley University campus and criticizing the conservative activist.
Police say it was Robinson’s father who recognized his son as the suspect after the FBI released photos. He encouraged Robinson to turn himself in.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said, “A family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident.”
Robinson is due in court Tuesday on murder charges. Both President Trump and Utah’s governor have expressed their desire for prosecutors to pursue the death penalty.
Voter registration records show that Robinson is registered to vote unaffiliated with any party, although he is listed as an “inactive” voter, meaning he hasn’t voted in at least the most recent two general elections.
Kentucky Rep. James Comer said people feel safer now that the suspect is in custody, but there are still concerns from lawmakers about the rise of political violence. Some lawmakers have changed or canceled their political events. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for calmer rhetoric and more security, something that is being considered on Capitol Hill.
Erika Kirk, the widow of rightwing activist and provocateur Charlie Kirk, said in a statement Friday evening that her late husband’s message and mission will be “stronger, bolder, louder and greater than ever” and that her “cries will echo around the world like a battle cry”.
“I loved knowing one of his mottos was ‘never surrender’,” she said of her late husband. “We’ll never surrender.”
Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of the hard-right youth organization Turning Point USA, died after being fatally shot while speaking at an event hosted at Utah Valley University (UVU) on Wednesday afternoon. The event was the first in the organization’s fall tour of college campuses. Erika Kirk said that the campus tour will continue despite her husband’s untimely death.
“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,” she said.
Erika Kirk, speaking from her husband’s Turning Point USA office on Friday evening, said Charlie had been killed because “he preached a message of patriotism, faith and of God’s merciful love”.
“The evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done,” Erika said. “They should all know this: if you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across the country and this world.”
In what the organization described as her address to the nation, Erika Kirk thanked law enforcement officers and those involved in finding and arresting the suspect in her husband’s murder. Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old, was arrested on Friday in connection with the fatal shooting and is expected to be charged on Tuesday.
She also thanked JD Vance, whom she called her husband’s close friend, and Donald Trump.
“Mister President, my husband loved you and he knew that you loved him, too,” Erika Kirk said. “Your friendship was amazing.”
Erika Kirk talked at length about her husband’s Christian values, saying that if he would have run for office, his focus would have been to “revive the American family” and that he spent much of his time encouraging young people to find spouses and start families. She said the struggle he had been dedicated to was not political but “above all it is spiritual”.
“Spiritual warfare is palpable,” she said.
Using divisive language and at times bigoted rhetoric, Charlie Kirk played a crucial role in bringing young people, especially men, into the Make America Great Again (Maga) movement. He was known for his inflammatory and discriminatory views, believed in no separation between church and state and said that Democrats “stand for everything God hates”. He claimed the west was in a “spiritual battle” with “wokeism”, Marxism and Islam, and called for a total ban on transgender healthcare, described immigration from Muslim countries as “civilizational suicide”, and peddled conspiracy theories about Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.
His wife used her speech to rally young people – calling out high school and college students – to continue his cause. She urged them to start or join Turning Point USA chapters at their schools.
“He wants you to make a difference and you can,” she said. “The movement is not going anywhere and it will only go stronger when you join it.”
