Charlie Kirk's Wife Promises Turning Point USA Will Go On in Passionate Speech

Erika Kirk -- the wife of Charlie Kirk -- spoke for the first time since he was killed at Utah Valley University ... and, she promised she will ensure his undying legacy.

Mrs. Kirk began her comments by thanking law enforcement for taking suspect Tyler Robinson into custody on Friday ... while also thanking Turning Point USA staff for providing stability after Charlie's death.

Erika became emotional during the speech ... talking about how much Charlie loved speaking to his many fans -- before showing appreciation for President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. She was especially grateful to the VP and his wife, Usha, for escorting Kirk's body back to his home in Arizona.

Kirk brought up the things Charlie loved ... from God, to his favorite sports teams, to his children -- and, of course, to Erika herself. She says he loved encouraging people to become spouses and parents because those were two roles he was especially passionate about being.

Erika also called out the people who plotted to kill Charlie ... adding these people have no idea what fire they've ignited in her and in people all through the world. Worth noting, Utah authorities have maintained the shooter acted alone.

Kirk says Turning Point's campus tours will continue this fall and Charlie's radio show will go on, too ... and, she promises to ensure Charlie's legacy will never be forgotten.

She encouraged young people to go find and join -- or create if need be -- their local chapter of TPUSA, and she called on people to join a church ... specifically ones which preach the Bible.

It comes at the end of a tragic and difficult week for the Kirk family. A shooter killed Charlie on Wednesday while he spoke at a Q&A event on the campus in Orem, UT.

Kirk was shot in the neck, then rushed to the hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead.

After a two-day manhunt, law enforcement arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson and booked him on charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice. These are all state charges.

Robinson allegedly spoke ill of Charlie prior to the shooting ... and bullet casings connected to the shooting carried antifascist messages on them.

An outpouring of condolences followed Kirk's death ... with politicians on both sides of the aisle denouncing political violence. President Donald Trump has promised to award Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.

As Erika mentioned, Charlie's body was flown on Air Force 2 from Utah back to his home in Arizona. Vice President J.D. Vance accompanied the body back to the Grand Canyon State.