Erika Kirk has described seeing her husband Charlie’s body after he was shot at Utah Valley University on 10 September 2025. She said she chose to see him despite a police officer’s warning, wanting to say goodbye, and recalled his half-open eyes and slight smile. The account comes as she faces public scrutiny over her grief and her role in leading the organisation he founded.

Kirk told Vanity Fair that hospital staff removed tubes, wrapped Charlie’s neck and cleaned away blood before she saw him. She said a gold sequined suit she wore at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest was the only outfit that fit, while she had requested plain black clothes to wear during the return of his remains. Tyler Robinson, 23, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges; the family has also sent Utah officials a wrongful death notice alleging reckless decisions by the university.