Charlie Kirk statue defaced with red paint, Jesus crossed out days after 1-year mark of assassination
Vandals smeared bright red paint across a newly unveiled statue of Charlie Kirk and defaced a Christian tribute outside Turning Point USA’s Phoenix headquarters early Sunday, just three days after the memorial was installed.
Images from the headquarters show red paint streaked across the eight-foot statue’s face and neck, with a crude frowning face drawn across its chest.
A sign at the base of the statue bearing Kirk’s image and the words "Jesus defeated death so you can live" was also targeted. The word "Jesus" and an image of a cross appeared to be crossed out, while "Satan" was apparently scrawled across the display.
Kirk's widow, Erika, who now serves as Turning Point USA CEO, responded with a defiant vow to rebuild, saying the vandals would not erase her husband’s legacy or silence Christians.
"Charlie once said we should be building two statues for every statue that they tear down," Erika Kirk wrote, adding that her husband’s instinct was always to create rather than destroy.
She said the bullet that killed her husband only amplified his voice and predicted the spray paint would spread his legacy even further. She also vowed to restore the statue, replace Jesus Christ’s name on the damaged sign and continue the movement her husband built.
"God will not be mocked," Erika Kirk wrote.
Phoenix police confirmed to Fox News Digital that the department began receiving calls around 8:09 a.m. reporting vandalism to a memorial in the area of 4900 East Beverly Road.
"Officers have responded to the location, and the incident is under investigation," police said.
No arrests or suspect descriptions had been announced as of Sunday afternoon.
"This morning we woke up to radical criminals vandalizing our headquarters," Turning Point USA Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer wrote on social media. "Crossing over Charlie’s face, scratching out Jesus and the Cross and spraying red paint on his neck.
"This isn’t the country we want to live in," Bowyer added. "Arizona is not Gotham."
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Bowyer, who went to the headquarters as police investigated, said TPUSA was prepared to clean the memorial as soon as authorities released the scene.
"God bless the police as they investigate the violent thugs who did this," Bowyer wrote.
TPUSA also released video showing the damage and encouraged its supporters to vote ahead of the midterm elections.
"Hate cannot win," the organization wrote. "The radical Left is showing up to vote. What are you doing to save the country from this?"
In a follow-up statement, TPUSA said it would restore the statue and replace the damaged signs while reviewing footage of the incident and working with law enforcement to identify those responsible.
"Vandalism like this is not funny, it’s diabolical," the organization wrote. "The incident happened in the middle of the night because evil never sleeps."
TPUSA said the vandals went beyond spraying Kirk’s face and neck with red paint, accusing them of making an "intentional decision" to cross out Jesus’ name on the nearby sign.
The organization ended its response by quoting John 15:18: "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."
The vandalism struck only days after TPUSA unveiled the bronze statue Thursday to mark one year since Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
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The statue depicts Kirk wearing his signature "Freedom" T-shirt and cross necklace. Those who knew him said the sculpture captured details down to his wedding ring, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
Turning Point USA commissioned Utah artist Quintin McCann to create the memorial after he began working on a portrait of Kirk the evening the conservative activist was killed, according to the outlet.
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"Someone’s death, who I’ve never met, has never impacted me so much," McCann told FOX 10. "And I’m sure many people can agree. And I just stayed at work that evening and just started sculpting his portrait."
The statue was initially placed outside TPUSA’s headquarters near 48th Street and Beverly Road but was expected to be moved indoors for security reasons by the end of the week, the outlet reported.
Conservative voices erupted over the attack, condemning the vandalism as another assault on Kirk’s family, friends and legacy.
"Truly abhorrent," Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., wrote on X. "The Charlie Kirk statue that was just unveiled at Turning Point’s HQ was vandalized overnight with red paint.
"The young people who work at Turning Point don’t deserve this, Charlie’s family doesn’t deserve this, his friends don’t deserve this," Hamadeh added. "The left is intolerant and militant. Evil exists and must be confronted continuously."
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., was equally blunt.
"This is absolute evil," Biggs wrote.
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson accused the vandals of trying to intimidate Kirk’s supporters.
"These people are incapable of building anything, all they know is destruction," Johnson wrote. "Keep these demons out of power."
TPUSA contributor Alex Clark said seeing the damage brought her to tears before issuing a dire warning to conservative voters.
"The left wants to tap dance in your blood and throw confetti at your gravestone," Clark wrote. "Vote red in midterms like your life depends on it because it actually does as a conservative."
Turning Point USA Chief of Staff Mikey McCoy urged conservatives to answer the vandalism with faith, invoking Kirk’s willingness to return to hostile campuses and the biblical examples of Stephen and Christ praying for those who persecuted them.
"Then I can surrender all the anger, and pure disgust that I feel at seeing this to a just and holy God," McCoy wrote, saying he would pray instead for the repentance and salvation of those responsible.
"Lord, help our Country," he added. "Open their eyes. Break their hearts. Save them."
Bowyer also blasted Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, accusing her of failing to pursue bipartisanship after Kirk’s killing and pointing to her veto of legislation that would have named Loop 202 in Kirk’s honor.
Hobbs said in her March veto letter that she condemned political violence but argued highway-naming decisions should remain nonpartisan and be handled by the state board responsible for such designations.
Kirk was 31 when he was shot and killed during a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University.
Tyler Robinson, 23, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges in Kirk’s death. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Erika Kirk took over as CEO of Turning Point USA after her husband’s assassination. The conservative organization he co-founded in 2012 has continued expanding its network of high school and college chapters since his death.
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact Phoenix police or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Turning Point USA and Hobbs’ office for additional information and comment.