Erika Kirk, widow of political influencer and right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, released a heartbreaking video at the weekend, days after her husband’s assassination.
Kirk was speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University last Wednesday, September 10, when he was shot through the neck in the middle of answering a question about mass shootings in the US.
Following a concentrated manhunt for the shooter, 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson, of Utah, was reportedly turned into authorities by his own father two days later on Friday.
Tributes have poured in for Kirk from around the world, with notable figures on both the left and right sides of US politics speaking out against the shooting.
Among them was President Donald Trump – for whom Kirk was a staunch ally – who promised that his administration would find “each and every one of those who contributed this atrocity … including the organizations that fund and support it.”
Days out from the horrifying slaying of Kirk, his widow, Erika Kirk, posted an emotional tribute on her Instagram page, composed of a series of images and videos, including a video of her standing at the side of her late husband’s open casket.
In the footage, Erika can be seen with her head bowed over the coffin, fighting back tears as she says ‘I love you’ several times, followed by ‘God bless you.’
Meanwhile, in a live stream from Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, Erika was seen standing behind a podium beside the chair Charlie Kirk used for the filming of his popular podcast.
In a stirring speech that claimed Kirk was killed because he “preached a message of patriotism, faith and of God’s merciful love” she said: “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.
“They should all know this: if you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world.”
22-year-old Tyler Robinson, of Utah, was taken into custody on Friday two days after Kirk’s shooting. Reports claim it was his father who alerted the authorities, despite evidence suggesting that he may face the death penalty if found guilty.