At an emotional public memorial service for conservative youth leader Charlie Kirk, his widow, Erika Kirk, told thousands gathered that she forgives the man accused of killing her husband.
“My husband, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” she said at State Farm Stadium. “That man, that young man – I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it is what Charlie would do.”
The crowd rose to its feet in applause.
The case against the accused
Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah, with fatally shooting Kirk on 10 September at Utah Valley University during the first stop of his “American Comeback” college tour. Authorities said Robinson texted his partner after the shooting, claiming he had “had enough of Kirk’s hatred.”
If convicted, Robinson could face the death penalty.
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Erika Kirk said she had been asked whether she wanted prosecutors to pursue capital punishment. “I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this. I do not want that man’s blood on my ledger,” she said, explaining her Christian belief in forgiveness.
Calls for love amid political rhetoric
Taking the stage as the newly appointed leader of Turning Point USA, the conservative group her husband founded, Erika vowed to carry forward his mission. “The answer to hate is not hate,” she said. “The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love – love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”
The memorial, which blended the atmosphere of a religious revival and a political rally, drew leading figures from the Make America Great Again movement, including President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance, a close friend of Kirk.
While Erika Kirk’s message focused on forgiveness and faith, several speakers used the platform to blame Democrats for contributing to an atmosphere of hostility. President Trump, who delivered a fiery speech, admitted: “I hate my opponents, and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry, Erika.”
Broader debate on political violence
Kirk’s killing has intensified national debate over political rhetoric, civility, and the rise in politically motivated violence across the US. Both Republicans and Democrats have faced attacks in recent years, and while Democratic leaders strongly condemned the murder, the incident has further widened partisan divisions.