A year after his killing, vandals target Charlie Kirk's memorial outside Turning Point's Phoenix HQ

A newly installed memorial statue of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk was vandalised overnight in Phoenix on Sunday, according to Turning Point Action, the organisation he founded, TOI reported.

The statue was defaced with red spray paint just days after it was unveiled to mark one year since Kirk's killing.

The eight-foot bronze statue, along with a nearby sign, was defaced with red paint, Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point Action, said in a post on X. Bowyer wrote that the vandalism covered Kirk's face and the area of his neck where he was shot, and also affected a cross depicted on the memorial.


Phoenix police confirmed they had responded to calls on Sunday morning about a vandalised memorial outside Turning Point's headquarters and asked anyone with information to come forward. Turning Point has said it plans to restore the statue.

Statue marked one year since the killing

The statue was unveiled on Thursday, September 10, to mark one year since Kirk was fatally shot during a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.

Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 as a youth-focused conservative political organisation and went on to build it into one of the movement's most prominent outreach operations among young voters.

Accused shooter has pleaded not guilty

Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Kirk, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Kirk's activism and legacy have divided opinion across the country, according to TOI. Civil rights advocates criticised him for rhetoric they called racist, anti-immigrant, transphobic and misogynist, pointing to his public remarks about Black Americans, LGBTQ+ communities, Muslims and immigrants.

His supporters, on the other hand, described him as a defender of conservative values and public debate who played a significant role in mobilising young voters for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

(With inputs from TOI)