This Thursday, Sept. 10, marks one year since conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during an event at a Utah university, sending shockwaves throughout the country.
Turning Point USA cofounder Kirk, 31, has been credited with inspiring and rallying young conservatives to fight (and vote) for personal freedom against what he called dangerous liberal ideas and seeking to open communications through his public debates, but he also outraged many with his views on abortion, civil rights, gender issues, gay marriage and gun rights.
Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of fatally shooting Kirk in September 2025 and faces multiple felonies, including aggravated murder, discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering for allegedly
instructing his roommate not to cooperate with authorities. He attended week-long preliminary hearings in July to determine probable cause to believe he committed the crime.
Most recently, a Utah judge ruled on Sept. 1 that Robinson can stand trial and face a possible death sentence in the killing of Kirk if found guilty.
In the wake of Kirk's death, many politicians and supporters called for tributes to the slain activist, including renaming roads and erecting statues of Kirk. Have any of these proposed ideas been implemented in Florida?
When was Charlie Kirk killed?
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and longtime ally of President Donald Trump, was fatally shot during a tour stop at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10, 2025.
According to past USA TODAY reports, the conservative media personality was at the campus kicking off his "The American Comeback Tour." He was hosting his "prove me wrong" table, where audience members debate the activist in a public setting, when he was fatally shot in the neck with a single bullet, allegedly fired by Robinson.
Kirk is survived by his wife, current Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk, and two young children.
What has been renamed, planned in honor of Charlie Kirk in Florida?
As of Sept. 8, there are two official roads renamed in honor of Kirk:
- Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway (Lake County)
- Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue (Miami-Dade County)
Additionally, Sarasota's New College of Florida announced a week after Kirk's death that it commissioned a statue of Kirk to be erected on campus. According to college officials, the statue will be a memorial for the slain podcaster and seek to "defend and fight for free speech and civil discourse in American life."
As of Sept. 8, the statue has not been added to its campus, nor has its exact location been revealed.
What happened to the bill renaming roads at Florida universities and colleges after Charlie Kirk?
Rep. Kevin Steele, R-Dade City, filed a bill last October requiring all state colleges and universities to rename a road on their campuses to honor Kirk. House Bill 133 also required state funds to be withheld for any university or institution that failed to redesignate a road or a portion of a roadway within 90 days of passage.
“He stood on the American principle of conversation and allowing everybody to voice their opinion respectfully. And he proved and reminded us that courage is not noise, it’s conviction,” Steele told the Orlando Sentinel after filing the bill.
However, the bill died in the Education Administration Subcommittee in March.
Is Trump, Turning Point planning anything for Charlie Kirk's death anniversary?
According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, Turning Point USA is holding a “Freedom Built to Last Memorial” on Utah Valley University's campus. It will be held at the UCCU Center, 800 W. University Parkway, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Pre-registration for the event is available online. They added it will feature a lineup of conservative speakers, including Glenn Beck and Frank Turek. It is unknown if Trump or Erika Kirk will attend.
Was Charlie Kirk from Florida?
No. Kirk was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and was living in Phoenix, Arizona, with his family at the time of his death.
Kirk did purchase a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on Longboat Key for $855,000 in 2019, property records show. It is not known how much time he spent in Sarasota County.
Samantha Neely is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, theme parks, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Nearly one year since Charlie Kirk was killed. See tributes in Florida
