Friend of Charlie Kirk reveals exactly what happened ‘the moment’ he was fatally shot

Charlie Kirk’s death on September 10 sent shockwaves across the U.S., and now one of his closest friends has shared what he witnessed in those final moments. Christian author Frank Turek, who was on stage with Kirk during the Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, has spoken publicly about what happened when the 31-year-old political activist was fatally shot.

The debate that night had drawn more than 3,000 supporters, with the atmosphere described as electric. Kirk had been tossing MAGA hats into the cheering crowd as chants of “USA” echoed through the auditorium. Turek, excited by the energy, even FaceTimed his wife and family to show them the scene.

But in the middle of a question about gun violence and “trans violence,” a single shot rang out. Kirk was struck in the neck. Turek recalls ducking at first, then rushing to his friend’s side as chaos broke out.

He and his team managed to rush Kirk into an SUV and began CPR while driving him to the hospital. Doctors briefly regained a pulse, but ultimately, nothing more could be done. According to Turek, Kirk had already been gone before medical staff could intervene.

“Charlie wasn’t there,” Turek explained. “His eyes were fixed. He wasn’t looking at me. He was looking past me right into eternity. He was with Jesus already. He was killed instantly and felt absolutely no pain.”

Kirk’s wife, Erika — a former Miss Arizona — and their two young children were in the audience when the shooting happened. The activist, known as a close ally of Donald Trump, had built a career as a prominent conservative voice on college campuses through Turning Point USA.

Following the killing, conspiracy theories quickly circulated online, including one claiming that a “man in a white hat” signaled the shooter. That man turned out to be Turek, who flatly rejected the speculation. He explained that he was simply holding up his phone while FaceTiming his family and only learned about the theory more than a day later.

“It’s crazy that people actually believe this stuff,” he said. “Don’t believe in these conspiracy theories. You need evidence.”

For Turek, the tragedy remains deeply personal. In his words, Kirk’s death was immediate — and though devastating, he takes comfort in believing his friend “went straight to be with the Lord.”