Were Charlie Kirk's wife, Erika, and kids with him at Utah University? Here's the truth

Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a Utah Valley University event on Wednesday. The suspect in the case has not been arrested yet.

Updated on: Sep 12, 2025, 08:41:14 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a Utah Valley University event on Wednesday. The 31-year-old was answering a question when a loud shot rang out. He could be seen reaching up with his hand as blood gushed through the left side of his neck. Soon, President Donald Trump announced that the founder of Turning Point USA had died.

Charlie Kirk (R) and and his wife Erika Lane Frantzve (L) on stage during the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball (Getty Images via AFP)

The FBI and other officials revealed at a press conference on Thursday that the suspect in the shooting has not been caught. The agency posted photos and videos of a person in a black t-shirt jumping off a roof and fleeing. However, he has not been identified yet. No motive has been confirmed yet, but Trump said that he had an indication.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox urged residents to help law enforcement identify the suspect. “We cannot do our job without the public’s help right now,” he told reporters. Cox added that investigators received over 7000 tips and have already conducted 200 interviews.

Were Charlie Kirk's wife, Erika, and kids with him at Utah University?

The claim was first published in the BBC's live blog. The Enquirer cited the post to report that Charlie Kirk's wife and kids accompanied him for the event in Orem.

However, the BBC soon changed the entry. “Update, 11 September: An earlier version of this post said Kirk's wife and children were on the university campus. In fact this is unclear,” the media outlet stated.

The confusion was caused by Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin's post on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

"Pray for [Kirk] his wife Erika, their two children, and all who were present at Utah Valley University," he tweeted on Wednesday.

While these claims went viral on social media, there is no confirmation whether Erika Kirk and her two children were at the UVU campus on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Trump said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Vice President JD Vance canceled his trip to New York to commemorate the attacks by al Qaeda on September 11, 2001, and instead traveled to Utah to see Kirk's family and to fly them and Kirk's casket home to Arizona aboard Air Force Two.

Trump said he would attend Kirk's funeral service.

(With Reuters inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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