It’s been one year since Charlie Kirk was slain by an assassin’s bullet.
Kirk, 31, was the co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative powerhouse based in Phoenix that was credited with boosting turnout for President Donald Trump during the 2024 election.
Kirk was the architect behind a network of conservative nonprofits
, conferences and media properties aimed at bringing young people into the conservative fold.He was also the face of the Turning Point brand.
Kirk was known for the provocative conservative, Christian views that he shared on his popular podcast and social media channels. Kirk generated viral social media clips from debating liberal students on college campuses around the country.
Kirk was shot and killed Sept. 10, 2025, during
a Turning Point event on the Utah Valley University campus. He was sitting under a tent and debating gun violence when he was shot.
His death captured the attention of the nation and exposed tense partisan divides. Some mourned Kirk and hoped the moment would spark a Christian revival. Others expressed indifference, celebrated or shared memes online.
On the one-year anniversary of his death, here’s what to know about Charlie Kirk.
Where was Charlie Kirk from?
Kirk was born in Illinois and raised in the Chicago suburbs.
He got involved in politics as a high school student. He pursued political activism instead of going to college at the encouragement of the late conservative activist Bill Montgomery.
Kirk was 18 years old when he co-founded Turning Point USA with Montgomery in 2012. He moved the group’s headquarters to Phoenix in 2018.
Kirk met Erika Kirk, then Erika Frantzve, at a Turning Point office opening in 2018. The couple married in 2021.
He was the father of their two young children, a son and a daughter.
Charlie Kirk became a top Trump ally
Kirk was a rising star within the Republican Party, growing his own online profile and expanding Turning Point USA into a power broker in the GOP.
Over the years, Kirk's organization moved to Arizona and grew nationwide. He became a top Trump ally and forged close relationships with the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., and Vice President JD Vance.
Turning Point Action hosted Trump's presidential campaign events in Arizona during the 2024 election cycle. It also handled get-out-the-vote work for the president in the important battleground state. Kirk was moved to tears when Trump was announced as the winner.
The president and most of his cabinet honored Kirk at a massive public memorial in September 2025. Trump praised Kirk as a Christian martyr during his address. Most recently, Turning Point hosted Trump at Dream City Church in April 2026.
What did Charlie Kirk say?
Kirk was known for provocative views, which he often shared on his “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast.
Kirk was inspired to start the podcast during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kirk's mother-in-law pulled him aside one day and encouraged him, saying he would be the Rush Limbaugh of his generation, Erika Kirk said.
Clips from some of Kirk's incendiary comments on the show circulated after his death. That included criticism of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Kirk also encouraged traditional gender roles and supported the right to bear arms, even though it meant sacrificing some gun deaths.
Kirk’s words have also been at issue in his murder case. Michael Burt, a lawyer for the Utah man charged with Kirk’s murder, said Kirk “spoke hatefully of certain groups of people,” during a court proceeding in September.
The comment drew condemnation from Turning Point leaders.
What’s the status of the Kirk murder case?
Kirk’s murder case is still in its early stages.
Tyler Robinson, 23, was Robinson was charged with Kirk’s murder in September 2025. In the year that followed, lawyers argued over media access to the trial and other issues.
The court held a lengthy preliminary hearing in the case in July, where Utah prosecutors proved to the judge that there was probable cause to believe Robinson committed the alleged crime and should stand trial for it.
Prosecutors alleged that Robinson left a note for his romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, saying that he “had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk” and was “going to take it.” Twiggs was considering transitioning genders at the time, according to prosecutors, who allege that Robinson said he had enough of Kirk's "hate."
The judge bound Robinson over for trial. He could face the death penalty if convicted. Lawyers will discuss trial details at an October court hearing.
Turning Point leaders have used Kirk’s social media accounts to broadcast coverage and analysis of the murder case to millions online.
What’s next for Turning Point?
Turning Point USA has grown since Kirk was killed, leaders say. His widow, Erika Kirk, took the helm of Turning Point USA in September 2025.
The nonprofit added thousands of new high school and college campus chapters to its organization over the last year, and says it has 1 million students involved in its programs.
Turning Point has 1,200 staff and more than 1 million donors, according to a memo marking the one year anniversary of the assassination. It is also raising more money than ever, according to an analysis by The Republic.
Turning Point is facing a major political test in the November midterms, and the organization has become so well-known that some Arizona candidates are successfully campaigning against the brand by arguing it is too hyperpartisan.
The group has endorsed dozens of Republican candidates across the country. It has also invested in its “Red Wall” program to boost the GOP in Arizona, New Hampshire and Nevada, which leaders say Kirk planned before he was killed.
The organization is also looking ahead to the 2028 presidential race. Erika Kirk endorsed Vance for president last year, saying it is what Kirk wanted. Vance has yet not said whether he will seek the White House.
Republic reporter Laura Gersony contributed to this report.
Stephanie Murray covers national politics and the Trump administration for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. She co-hosts “The Gaggle,” The Republic’s weekly politics podcast. Reach her at stephanie.murray@usatodayco.com, on X and TikTok @stephanie_murr and on Instagram @stephaniemurray.news.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who was Charlie Kirk? What to know 1 year after his death
