A close associate of Charlie Kirk, who was present during his tragic assassination, has shared details about his final moments.
Christian author Frank Turek, who was among 3,000 attendees at the Utah Valley University event on September 10, was there to support Kirk.
Kirk was moderating a debate for Turning Point USA, an organization he established to promote conservative politics on college and high school campuses. The activist was tragically shot in the neck, in front of a shocked audience.
His wife, Erika Kirk, a former Miss Arizona, and their two young children were witnesses to the event.
Kirk had strong ties with President Donald Trump, who has denounced the violent act.
Frank Turek, Kirk’s friend and mentor, has now opened up about the events leading to Kirk’s death and ‘the moment he was hit.’
Turek, who founded CrossExamined.org—an organization dedicated to Christian apologetics—shared his account on his YouTube channel. In a newly-released video lasting an hour and 15 minutes, he described the Utah Valley University crowd as one of the most passionate he had ever encountered.
Standing behind Kirk on stage, Turek recalled the audience chanting ‘USA’ and cheering as Kirk distributed MAGA hats to them.
Turek then used FaceTime to show his family the lively atmosphere. But when Kirk addressed a question regarding gun crime and ‘trans violence’, a gunshot was suddenly heard.
Turek remembers seeing Kirk fall and initially sought cover, before rushing to aid his long-time friend.
Kirk was quickly transported to the hospital in an SUV by Turek and his team, who administered CPR. Although hospital staff managed to restore his pulse, Turek mentioned that ultimately nothing could be done to save him.
Recalling Kirk’s last moments, Turek said: “Charlie wasn’t there. 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. That’s what I was told later.”
Turek later added, “So if that’s any comfort at all, Charlie didn’t suffer. He was gone. He was with Jesus, absent from the body, present with the Lord.”
Following the event, conspiracy theories spread online, with some alleging that a ‘man in a white hat’ was signaling the shooter—the individual being Turek himself. The podcaster addresses this theory in the video, firmly dismissing it as false.
He explained that he was merely holding his phone while on FaceTime.
“It’s crazy that people actually believe this stuff. But, you know, if it’s on the internet, it must be true, right? Don’t believe in these crazy conspiracy theories. You need evidence,” he stated.
“It’s ridiculous. I didn’t even know about it. For… 30 hours after the murder, we were in a bubble.
“When I finally meet my wife back in Phoenix, she goes, ‘There are millions of people who think you were in conspiracy to kill Charlie.’ I’m like, ‘What? That’s crazy.'”