Turning Point USA showcased a recreated tent at its America Fest conference that replicates the booth where founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed. Attendees posed for photos and wore shirts matching Kirk's attire from the Utah shooting, and organizers framed the display as part of a leadership handover to his widow, Erika Kirk. A suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, has been arrested and charged, and he is being held in a Special Housing Unit under suicide-watch precautions. The exhibit has prompted both tributes and controversy.
Turning Point USA Recreates Tent Where Charlie Kirk Was Killed — Selfies and Tributes at America Fest
Nordin Catic/Getty; Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/GettyCharlie Kirk poses at The Cambridge Union on May 19, 2025 in CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM., A crowd watches as Charlie Kirk appears at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025 in Orem, Utah.
Turning Point USA (TPUSA) featured a recreated version of the booth where its founder, Charlie Kirk, was fatally shot as a prominent exhibit at its four-day America Fest conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
Reporter Brandy Zadrozny of MS Now, on site at the event, said attendees were taking photographs with the installation and wearing shirts that replicated the one Kirk reportedly wore when he was killed. Participants chanted and offered tributes such as "For Charlie," signaling both memorialization and political theater around the display.
"This is a recreation of the tent where Charlie Kirk lost his life at Utah Valley University in September, and people are taking selfies with it," Zadrozny said. "You can see people saying 'For Charlie' and wearing replicas of the shirt he had on when he was killed."
Organizers have framed part of the display as symbolic of a leadership handover. Zadrozny reported that Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, has assumed leadership responsibilities at TPUSA following his death. The organization has reported raising roughly $100 million in recent years and is widely credited by some conservative leaders with mobilizing young voters.
What Happened
Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot on Sept. 10 while staffing his signature "Prove Me Wrong" table during his American Comeback Tour at Utah Valley University. After a manhunt, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested and faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder.
Prosecutors say Robinson told his parents he "couldn't go to jail and just wanted to end it," according to a Sept. 16 indictment. Sergeant Ray Ormond of the Utah County Sheriff's Office told PEOPLE that Robinson is held in the facility's Special Housing Unit, where inmates are subject to increased supervision and required to wear a suicide-prevention smock.
Reaction And Context
The recreated tent at America Fest has drawn both attention and controversy: supporters view it as a tribute and rallying symbol, while critics see it as a provocative or sensationalized display. As TPUSA stages its annual conference under new de facto leadership, the exhibit underscores how political organizations blend memorials, messaging and mobilization in the wake of a high-profile tragedy.
Note: All facts in this article reflect reporting from on-site coverage and public records related to the investigation; charges against the suspect are allegations and the legal process is ongoing.
