Last night brought the shocking news that controversial influencer and rightwing viral debater, Charlie Kirk, was shot dead at the age of 31 during an appearance in Utah. The culprit is still yet to be caught and identified; a widespread police operation is underway.
Kirk was known to be an avid supporter of Donald Trump and the President has praised Kirk on more than one occasion, thanking him for his support during the previous election. When announcing his death, Trump referred to Kirk as "legendary" and later shared a video calling the murder as a "dark day for America".
While Kirk's opinions could often be divisive – he was strongly against abortion, claimed the concept of white privilege is a 'racist lie' and that there is 'no evidence of global warming – his death is a harrowing example of the political tensions running high in the Western world right now, and a staunch reminder that no matter a person's beliefs, they should be able to discuss them without fear of violence.
Outside of his work on social media and with Turning Point USA, an organisation he founded at the age of 18 to spread conservative values in liberal universities, Kirk was a father and a husband. He had two children, a 1-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, with his wife Erika Kirk (formerly known as Erika Lane Frantzve) – who posted a foreboding message on X prior to her husband's murder.
Just hours ahead of the killing, Erika Kirk tweeted: "Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." The post has now been liked over half a million times, likely in a show of support as she navigates this extremely difficult time.
Here's what else is known about Erika and Charlie Kirk's relationship and family life.
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Who is Erika Kirk?
Previously known as Erika Lane Frantzve, Erika Kirk is Charlie Kirk's wife, a 2012 Miss Arizona winner, and former actress. According to a biography on her website, Kirk describes herself as "a driven social entrepreneur, passionate ministry leader, and woman of deep faith whose life has been shaped by her global experiences and unwavering commitment to purpose".
She also runs a faith-based clothing line, PROCLAIM, hosts a podcast, and says that out of all of her commitments, her marriage and children are her top priority. "Above all, Erika cherishes her role as the wife of Charlie Kirk and the mother of their precious son and daughter," her website states.
How did Charlie and Erika Kirk meet?
In an Instagram post published 5 September 2023, Erika shared a memory of their first date: "5 years ago today, we sat inside Bills Burgers in NYC deep in conversation and banter over theology, philosophy, and politics and at the end, you paused, looked at me and said, 'I'm going to date you'... dating with intention to marry is way different than dating to 'see where it goes'. Let God write your love story."
They got engaged in 2020 and married in 2021.
When recalling their first date in a Turning Point USA video from June 2024, Charlie Kirk said, "I met her and we had a very, very long dinner, which was very close to almost an interview. You're gonna laugh, but you should absolutely interview for your spouse."
When discussing their marriage on a YouTube video on Charlie's channel this April, Erika described Charlie as her "best friend" and said, "You have to continually invest in the confidence in one another, that you're on the same team. You support each other. You love each other. You're not going to undercut each other."
During the same conversation, Charlie expanded on their shared approach to gender roles within their relationship by saying, "I will say, women should look for men who have self control and men should look for women who are willing to submit, basically a non-feminist woman."
Did Charlie and Erika Kirk have children?
Yes, the pair share a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son, neither of whom have been named publicly. The couple have openly stated they wanted to keep their children out of the spotlight.
What has Charlie Kirk's wife said about his death?
As of 11 September, Erika Kirk has not commented publicly about the tragedy.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
