Charlie Kirk, his wife Erika Frantzve and his two small children were present at the Utah Valley University event when he was shot, according to a report published by the BBC. “Pray for [Kirk] his wife Erika, their two children, and all who were present at Utah Valley University,” Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin posted on Twitter.

Charlie Kirk, a right-wing political commentator and an ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on September 10. He was 31. Videos circulating on social media showed Charlie being shot in the neck or side of his head as he answered a question about gun violence, per NPR.

The news of Charlie Kirk death was announced by President Trump, which sent shockwaves across the US. The political activist, who co-founded the organization Turning Point USA in 2012, was a husband and father to two children.

Charlie Kirk family

Right-wing conservative activist and popular influencer Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during an appearance at a campus event in Utah on Wednesday. The shooting took place at about 12:20 p.m. local time Wednesday during a student Q&A at UVU in Orem, according to a statement from Utah Valley University (UVU) and videos from the scene.

“There was a single shot fired from the top of a nearby building about 200 yards away,” the statement said.

Kirk, 31, was the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a conservative campus organization and he regularly appeared on college campuses and hosted media programs, including his popular podcast The Charlie Kirk Show.

He married former Miss Arizona USA Erika Frantzve in May 2021, and the couple welcomed a daughter in August 2022 and a son in May 2024. According to PEOPLE, Charlie met Erika in 2018 and then had a “very, very long dinner” where he knew “almost immediately” that she was “the one,” as he recalled in a 2024 Turning Point USA video. In September 2023, Erika reflected on their first date and posted selfies of them hugging.

The couple got engaged in December 2020. Erika Frantzve shared the news by posting a photo of her hugging him while he was down on one knee. Less than one year later, the couple married in Scottsdale, Ariz., on May 8, 2021. Both Erika and Charlie shared photos from the wedding.

In February 2024, Erika wrote in an Instagram post that the nuptials were “very intimate” with no bridesmaids and groomsmen and only their closest family members by their side.

Who is Charlie Kirk’s wife?

Erika Frantzve was crowned Miss Arizona USA in 2012, as per her biography on her website. She often shared photos of her time holding the crown, including visiting the Pentagon, volunteering and bonding with other pageant contestants.

Erika played college basketball at Regis University before transferring to Arizona State University, where she earned a degree in political science and international relations. She later pursued advanced studies, obtaining a master’s degree and working toward a doctorate at Liberty University, a conservative Christian institution.

Throughout her career, Erika collaborated closely with Charlie and his organization, participating in events and interviews alongside him. She is the host of the Midweek Rise Up podcast, leads the BIBLE365 ministry program, and founded the faith-inspired apparel brand, PROCLAIM.

Charlie Kirk’s children

Erika and Charlie welcomed two children together. They became parents with the birth of their daughter on Aug. 23, 2022. Erika and Charlie announced the news by posting the same photo. They welcomed their second child, a son, in May 2024. They shared the news by posting a photo of Charlie holding the newborn in the hospital.

Just a few weeks before Charlie died, he and Erika celebrated their daughter’s 3rd birthday. Although Charlie was a public figure, he kept his children’s faces and names off of social media.

“We have a girl and a boy and it’s no ones business what their names are or their faces,” he explained in a June 2025 video.