Although she has spoken publicly about the day of the shooting, Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, is making it clear that reliving it through video is something she refuses to do.
In the days following his death, Erika opened up about the devastating final moments she shared with Charlie and the unsettling warnings that came before the shooting.
Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, while speaking to students at a Turning Point USA event in Utah.
Erika, who now leads Turning Point USA after her husband's death, says there is one thing she will never do: watch the video of the moment he was killed. In an emotional sit-down with Jesse Watters, Erika explained that she does not want her final memory of Charlie to be the instant he was shot in the neck.
When asked how she copes knowing the video is circulating online, she took a deep breath before saying, "I never saw the video. I never will see it. I never want to see it."
"I don't want my husband's public assassination to be something I ever see. I don't want my kids to ever see that," she noted emphatically. TMZ noted that Erika also condemned those who enjoyed watching the clip, calling it "sick" and urging people to remember their own humanity.
"Life is fragile. There is so much beauty in this world. Why would you waste any portion of you life watching something so evil," she stated.
The 36-year-old says she has no interest in accepting Kimmel's apology following his comments about her husband's accused killer. As reported by The Blast, she revealed that his network reached out to invite her onto his show so he could publicly apologize, an offer she immediately turned down.
Erika thanked the producers for reaching out, but made it clear she had no desire to take part in what she saw as a publicity gesture. "We received their note. This is not our issue. It's not our mess," she told Jesse Watters of FOX News.
Erika went on to question Kimmel's sincerity, saying she does not believe an apology means anything if it is not genuine. "If you wanna say I'm sorry to someone who's grieving, go right ahead. But if that's not in your heart, then don't do it. I don't want it. I don't need it," she said firmly.
Kimmel found himself in serious trouble after comments he made about Charlie's accused killer during a September 15 monologue. Just five days after the political activist's death, Kimmel suggested that the shooter was tied to "MAGA," calling out those who tried to distance the killer from the movement.
The remarks immediately set off a wave of outrage online, especially among Charlie's supporters, and prompted Sinclair and Nexstar Media to pull Kimmel's show from their networks. Disney quickly followed by suspending the late-night host, describing his words as "ill-timed and insensitive."
After a brief suspension and discussions with Disney, Kimmel was reinstated and later addressed the controversy, telling viewers he never meant to "make light of the murder." Though he publicly apologized, many noticed he stopped short of offering a direct apology to Charlie's family, leaving the controversy far from settled.
The businesswoman opened up about the heartbreaking final moments she shared with her husband after he was fatally shot during a campus event in Utah. The Blast reported that she told The New York Times that police advised her not to view his body, but she refused, insisting on saying goodbye.
Erika described kissing him one last time, remembering his "half-smile" and peaceful expression, as if "he'd died happy" and "was in heaven." She recalled that the night before his trip, they had prayed over his upcoming 20-campus tour during dinner with a faith leader.
Both Erika and their friend voiced concerns for his safety, urging him to wear a vest or stand behind bulletproof glass. Charlie, who had faced repeated death threats, chose not to. Erika now believes he knew the risks but accepted them with a calm faith.
A touching moment between Erika and Vance became the center of online discussion in October. Now, a lip reader claims to uncover what was said during their embrace. The viral clip shows Erika sharing a heartfelt hug with Vance during an event honoring her late husband.
The Blast highlighted that lip reader Nicola Hickling analyzed the footage and revealed that before stepping on stage, Erika was seen telling her assistant, "I can't do this, I don't want to do it," asking for a moment to regain her composure.
When she finally approached Vance, the vice president reportedly told her, "I'm proud of you." As they pulled apart, Erika appeared to respond with a heartbreaking line: "It's not gonna bring him back."
For Erika Kirk, protecting her peace now matters more than replaying her pain.