Erika Kirk Hits Back After Charlie Kirk Statue Vandalised With Red Paint and Jesus' Name Crossed at TPUSA HQ

Erika Kirk has responded after a newly unveiled statue of her late husband, Charlie Kirk, was vandalised with red paint outside the headquarters of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in Phoenix, Arizona, with a nearby memorial sign also defaced.

The eight-foot bronze statue was found covered in red spray paint early Sunday, 13 September, just three days after it was unveiled at the organisation's headquarters to mark the first anniversary of Kirk's death.

Images show paint across the statue's face, neck and hand, along with a frowning face painted on its torso.

A nearby memorial sign was also vandalised. The word 'Jesus' was crossed out in red, while other writing on the sign was also affected.

Phoenix police are investigating the incident after responding to reports of the vandalism on Sunday morning. No suspect had been publicly identified as of Sunday, and authorities were asking anyone with information to come forward.

TPUSA Vows To Restore Statue

Turning Point USA said it would restore the statue and replace the damaged signs while reviewing surveillance footage and working with law enforcement to identify those responsible.

The organisation described the incident as 'diabolical' in a post on X, adding that it happened in the middle of the night and quoting a passage from the Gospel of John.

The statue was unveiled on 10 September, the first anniversary of Kirk's death after he was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University in 2025.

The monument depicts Kirk wearing his 'FREEDOM' T-shirt with one hand raised and holding baseball caps in the other.

Erika Kirk Hits Back at Vandalism

Meanwhile, Kirk's widow, Erika, responded by reposting TPUSA's statement and arguing that the vandalism would not erase her husband's legacy.

'Charlie once said we should be building two statues for every statue that they tear down,' she wrote, saying his instinct was 'always to build, not to destroy.'

She also addressed the religious message that was defaced, saying that crossing out the name of Jesus would not silence Christians.

'We'll put His name right back where it belongs, clean up the mess, restore Charlie's statue, and keep building,' Erika wrote.

She ended her statement by declaring: 'We will never give up and never surrender.'

Charlie Kirk Statue Comes Amid Anniversary Tributes

The statue was one of several tributes marking the first anniversary of Kirk's death. Turning Point USA unveiled the Phoenix monument on the anniversary of his death, while a separate bronze statue was also unveiled during a memorial event at Utah Valley University.

Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA and became a prominent conservative activist, was fatally shot while speaking at the Utah university on 10 September 2025. Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder in connection with Kirk's death and has pleaded not guilty.

Erika has since become CEO and board chair of Turning Point USA and has continued to promote her late husband's political and organisational legacy publicly.

Authorities are investigating the vandalism, but have yet to announce an arrest or identify a suspect.