Charlie Kirk

Turning Point's co-founder, was among the most-followed conservatives on social media. He was a columnist, author and had a talk show to further amplify his reach. He played a central role in organizing young voters and giving shape to the pro-Trump agenda. Kiek died on Wednesday September 10 2025 in Orem, Utah, after he had been shot while speaking at a college campus event. He was 31. Kirk was only 18 when he founded Turning Point USA in 2012. There was no secret to his staying power: He delivered results. He spent tens of millions of dollars on voter mobilization through Turning Point and other groups. Charles James Kirk was born on Oct. 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, a suburb of Chicago. His father, Robert, an architect, and his mother, Kimberly, were active in conservative circles — his father was a major donor to Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. His work also drew the attention of Bill Montgomery, a restaurateur and early supporter of the right-wing Tea Party movement. Kirk was accepted at Baylor University and briefly attended Harper College, in Palatine, Ill., but soon took Montgomery’s advice and dropped out. Kirk relocated to the Phoenix area, where he spent the next decade building the Turning Point empire. He married Erika Frantzve, a former Miss Arizona, in 2021. His survivors include his wife and their two children.