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Erika Kirk Stands Firm on Second Amendment After Husband’s Murder, Calls Shootings a ‘Human’ Problem

06:51 AM, 12/04/2025
Erika Kirk Stands Firm on Second Amendment After Husband’s Murder, Calls Shootings a ‘Human’ Problem

Erika Kirk said at the Dealbook conference that her support for the Second Amendment remains unchanged after her husband Charlie Kirk’s murder. She argued gun violence is driven by deeper human and mental-health problems — such as anxiety and depression among young people — rather than just firearms. Kirk described publicly forgiving the suspected killer as a decision shaped by her Christian faith, while acknowledging she still feels anger. She framed forgiveness as a way to free the heart and think more clearly amid grief.

Erika Kirk at the Dealbook Conference

Erika Kirk said at the Dealbook conference in New York City that her support for the Second Amendment remains unchanged following the September murder of her husband, Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA.

She told host Andrew Ross Sorkin that gun violence is a complex phenomenon that "goes much deeper" than firearms alone. Kirk pointed to factors she believes drive shootings in the United States — including poor mental health, anxiety and depression, particularly among young people — and said her late husband shared those concerns.

“I wouldn’t wish upon anyone what I have been through, and I support the Second Amendment as well,” Kirk said.

Kirk warned that some individuals will always resort to violence and expressed concern that, in today’s climate, some people treat violence as a way to avoid engaging with opposing viewpoints. "That’s not a gun problem, that’s a human — deeply human — problem. That is a soul problem, that is a mental [problem], that is a very deeper issue," she added.

Sorkin asked Kirk about her decision to publicly forgive the suspected killer at Charlie Kirk’s memorial in Arizona. Kirk said she does not expect everyone to understand that choice and acknowledged that she remains enraged by her husband's death.

“It’s not because you’re weak, it’s not because you think what the assassin did was correct. That’s the exact opposite. Forgiveness is… for those of you who’ve been wronged, you know what it feels like to forgive someone. In a way, it frees you from a poison and lets you think clearly,” she said, adding that her Christian faith guided her decision and has been central to how she is coping.

Kirk framed forgiveness as a way to unburden the heart and clear the mind while reiterating that she believes the root causes of shootings are complex human and mental-health issues rather than solely a matter of gun availability.

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