Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, was named the new CEO and chair of the board for Turning Point USA after her husband — the founder of the organization — was killed on Sept. 10, the board announced on Thursday.
“It was the honor of our lives to serve as board members at Charlie’s side. Charlie prepared all of us for a moment like this one. He worked tirelessly to ensure Turning Point USA was built to survive even the greatest tests. And now, it is our great pride to announce Erika Kirk as the new CEO and Chair of the Board for Turning Point USA,” the board announced in a letter shared on X on Thursday.
The board “unanimously elected” Erika Kirk, saying that “in prior discussions, Charlie expressed to multiple executives that this is what he wanted in the event of his death.”
Erika Kirk is scheduled to speak at her late husband’s memorial service on Sunday in Arizona alongside President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and others.
The conservative influencer was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
After a two-day manhunt, Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested for allegedly shooting Charlie Kirk and charged on Tuesday with a slew of offenses, including aggravated murder, with prosecutors announcing the intent to seek the death penalty.
He was also charged with felony discharge of a firearm causing serious body injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of violent offense in the presence of a child, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced on Tuesday.
Robinson also made his first court appearance on Tuesday. His next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29.
Before he turned himself in to authorities, Robinson’s parents asked him why he committed this crime, to which he allegedly said “there is too much evil and the guy [Charlie Kirk] spreads too much hate,” according to charging documents.
In her first public message since her husband’s death, Erika Kirk said “no one will ever forget my husband’s name.”
“You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” Erika Kirk said Sept. 12.
ABC News’ Will Steakin contributed to this report.
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