A close associate of Charlie Kirk offered a wrenching account Wednesday of the moments after the conservative leader was fatally shot, recalling desperate efforts to save him and the conviction that Kirk was “with Jesus” immediately afterward.
Christian author and apologist Frank Turek, who was standing just feet away when the attack unfolded, said the experience left a deep personal impact. “He was like a fourth son to me,” Turek said. “I have three sons. Charlie was my fourth. That’s what made this so hard.”
He also noted that Kirk was killed instantly by the single rifle round to his neck. Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah, has been arrested and charged with the assassination. He faces the death penalty and is currently being held without bond.
Amid the chaos, Turek reflected on his bond with Kirk and the influence the young leader had on those around him. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Turek and others rushed Kirk into a black SUV, trying to stem his bleeding as they sped through traffic toward the hospital. Five men were inside the vehicle, all working frantically to keep him alive.
“The car lurches forward… I almost fell out, but I grabbed it and held on,” Turek recalled. “Charlie was right in front of me. We drove with the door open, trying everything we could. I kept yelling, ‘Come on, Charlie, come on.’” Despite their desperate efforts, Kirk never regained consciousness.
He described the Turning Point USA founder: “His eyes were fixed. He wasn’t looking at me—he was looking past me right into eternity. He was with Jesus already. He felt no pain.”
At the hospital, doctors briefly restored Kirk’s pulse, a momentary sign of hope aided by his good health, but surgeons ultimately determined his injuries were fatal.
Court filings reveal that Robinson reportedly sent a text to his alleged trans-identifying lover stating, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
