# Kirk (DD-672) > Charles James 'Charlie' Kirk (October 14, 1993 – September 10, 2025) was an American conservative political activist and media personality. He was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and raised in nearby Prospect Heights. In June 2012, at 18, he co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) with businessman Bill Montgomery, as a student organization promoting free markets and limited government. He led it as its public face for 13 years and became widely known for campus debates and his daily program, The Charlie Kirk Show. On September 10, 2025, he was shot and killed while speaking at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, at age 31. A suspect, Tyler Robinson, was arrested two days later and charged with aggravated murder. Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, was elected CEO of TPUSA on September 18, 2025, and he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on October 14, 2025. He was a polarizing figure who drew both strong support and strong criticism, and this case sticks to the documented record. - Department: People (also Media) - First published: 2025-11-17 - Last updated: 2025-11-17 - Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kirk/ - Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department ## Status as of Oct. 18, 2026 Deceased (killed September 10, 2025, at age 31). Turning Point USA is led by his widow, Erika Kirk, as CEO and chair. The accused, Tyler Robinson, was ordered on September 1, 2026, to stand trial on seven counts including aggravated murder and has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial conference to set trial dates is scheduled for October 23, 2026, in Utah's 4th District Court in Provo, and no trial date has been set yet (KSL, Daily Herald, Oct 2026). Out of date in the Reel: The Reel (posted November 17, 2025) uses the past tense but doesn't mention his death or TPUSA's new leadership. ## On the timeline - **Oct. 14, 1993**: Charlie Kirk is born in Arlington Heights, Illinois - **June 2012**: Kirk and Bill Montgomery co-found Turning Point USA - **October 2020**: The Charlie Kirk Show begins as a daily program on Salem's radio network - **Sept. 10, 2025**: Kirk is shot and killed at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University - **Sept. 18, 2025**: Erika Kirk is elected CEO of Turning Point USA - **Oct. 14, 2025**: Kirk is posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom - **Sept. 1, 2026**: A judge orders Tyler Robinson to stand trial on seven counts Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=kirk ## Quick facts - **DD-672-F01**: Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, at age 18. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Turning Point USA))_ - **DD-672-F02**: Kirk was born on October 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Early life))_ ## Write-up Founder at just 18. Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012. 1. **Early life**: Kirk was born on October 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and raised in Prospect Heights. He became politically active in high school and briefly attended Harper College before leaving to build Turning Point. 2. **Turning Point USA**: In June 2012, at 18, Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA with Bill Montgomery. He described it as a student group for free markets and limited government, and he led it as executive director and public face until 2025. The organization later added affiliates such as Turning Point Action (2019). 3. **Media host**: Kirk was known for campus 'Prove Me Wrong' debates that spread widely online. From October 2020 he hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, a daily radio program on Salem's network that was also one of the most popular podcasts. Production of the show has continued since his death. 4. **Death**: On September 10, 2025, Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, at age 31. Tyler Robinson was arrested on September 12 and charged on September 16 with aggravated murder and other offenses. 5. **After his death**: TPUSA's board elected his widow, Erika Kirk, as CEO on September 18, 2025. President Trump posthumously awarded Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom on October 14, 2025. On September 1, 2026, a judge ordered Robinson to stand trial on seven counts, and Robinson pleaded not guilty. ## Related case files - [Ellison (DD-069)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ellison/): Another Persons of Interest profile - [Karp (DD-062)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/karp/): Another Persons of Interest profile of an American organization's leader - [Anti-Defamation League (DD-674)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/anti-defamation-league/): The ADL's 2025 extremism-glossary dispute involved an entry on Turning Point USA ## Reel vs. record - **Note**: Co-founded: Turning Point USA was co-founded in June 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and businessman Bill Montgomery. - **Birthplace precision**: he was born on October 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and raised in nearby Prospect Heights. - **Missing context**: the Reel uses the past tense but doesn't say why. Kirk was killed on September 10, 2025, at age 31, while speaking at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. - **Show detail**: he was the host (not 'a host') of The Charlie Kirk Show, a daily radio program on Salem's network from October 2020 and a top podcast. Production has continued since his death. - **Missing update**: his widow, Erika Kirk, was elected CEO and chair of Turning Point USA on September 18, 2025 (Reuters). ## Video: Kirk: Founder at Just 18 - Duration: 19.8 s · Published: 2025-11-17 - File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DRK89miksGt.mp4 ### Transcript DID YOU KNOW? Charlie Kirk was an American conservative activist, media host, and founder of Turning Point USA, an organization he started in 2012 to promote free-market and conservative values among young voters. Born in 1993 in Illinois, he rose to prominence in his early 20s through campus activism, social media influence, and as a host of the Charlie Kirk Show. NOW YOU KNOW! ## Questions & answers **Q: In what year did Charlie Kirk co-found Turning Point USA?** A: June 2012, when he was 18. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Turning Point USA) · Wikipedia: Charlie Kirk; Turning Point USA: Team)_ **Q: Who co-founded Turning Point USA with Kirk?** A: Businessman Bill Montgomery. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Turning Point USA) · Wikipedia: Charlie Kirk; Turning Point USA: Team)_ **Q: In which state was Kirk born?** A: Arlington Heights, Illinois. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Early life) · Wikipedia: Charlie Kirk)_ **Q: Who became CEO of Turning Point USA in September 2025?** A: TPUSA's board elected Erika Kirk on September 18, 2025. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (After his death) · Reuters (Sep 18, 2025): Erika Kirk named CEO of Turning Point USA after husband's murder; Wikipedia: Charlie Kirk; Daily Herald (Oct 6, 2026): Judge in Tyler Robinson case orders parties to submit scheduling estimates for trial; KSL (Oct 5, 2026): Judge in Tyler Robinson case wants attorneys ready to set trial dates)_ **Q: What was the name of Kirk's daily program?** A: The Charlie Kirk Show. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Media host) · Wikipedia: Charlie Kirk)_ ## Sources - [Wikipedia: Charlie Kirk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Kirk) - [Reuters (Sep 18, 2025): Erika Kirk named CEO of Turning Point USA after husband's murder](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/erika-kirk-named-ceo-turning-point-usa-after-husbands-murder-2025-09-18/) - [KSL (Oct 5, 2026): Judge in Tyler Robinson case wants attorneys ready to set trial dates](https://www.ksl.com/article/51632514/judge-in-tyler-robinson-case-wants-attorneys-ready-to-set-trial-dates) - [Daily Herald (Oct 6, 2026): Judge in Tyler Robinson case orders parties to submit scheduling estimates for trial](https://www.heraldextra.com/news/2026/oct/06/judge-in-tyler-robinson-case-orders-parties-to-submit-scheduling-estimates-for-trial/) - [Turning Point USA: Team](https://www.tpusa.com/team/) ## Cite this case file Easterling, Marcus. "Kirk." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-672, last updated Nov 17, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kirk/