Charlie Kirk memorial statue of slain activist defaced in Phoenix
An 8-foot bronze statue of Charlie Kirk outside Turning Point USA's Phoenix headquarters was vandalized with red spray paint just days after its unveiling.
A newly unveiled bronze memorial statue of conservative activist Charlie Kirk was found defaced with red spray paint in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, September 13, 2026. The Phoenix Police Department received emergency calls alerting them to the incident just after 8 a.m. Local time outside the headquarters of Turning Point USA, located near 48th Street and Baseline Road in the Ahwatukee Foothills area.
The monument had been erected just days prior on Thursday, September 10, 2026, to coincide with the one-year anniversary of Kirk's fatal shooting. Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed at the age of 31 on September 10, 2025, while speaking at a Turning Point event in Utah. The bronze figure, sculpted by Utah-based artist Quintin McCann, depicted Kirk tossing baseball caps while wearing his signature FREEDOM
T-shirt and a cross necklace. McCann began working on the sculpture almost immediately after Kirk's assassination.
Media additions
Photographs and social media posts from organization officials showed red paint splashed across the statue's face, neck, and hand, alongside a frowning face painted on the torso. Supporters interpreted the placement of red paint around the neck as a direct reference to the manner of his death. A nearby poster memorial bearing Kirk's image was also vandalized. Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point Action, posted on X that the phrase on a nearby sign reading May Charlie be received into the merciful arms of Jesus, our loving savior
was altered, with the name of Jesus crossed out.
| Event | Date | Location | Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal Shooting | September 10, 2025 | Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah | Charlie Kirk killed during a campus event; suspect Tyler Robinson later arrested, charged with aggravated murder, and pleaded not guilty. |
| Statue Unveiling | September 10, 2026 | TPUSA Headquarters, Phoenix, Arizona | 8-foot bronze monument sculpted by Quintin McCann unveiled on the one-year anniversary of Kirk's death. |
| Statue Vandalism | September 13, 2026 | TPUSA Headquarters, Phoenix, Arizona | Monument and nearby memorial signs doused in red spray paint; police open active investigation with no suspects identified. |
The vandalism prompted immediate condemnation from organization leaders and allies. Turning Point USA stated that they plan to restore the statue and replace the signs while reviewing surveillance footage of the incident and working with law enforcement.
Bowyer also condemned the act on social media, writing:
Bowyer further described the scene on X, stating:"This morning we woke up to radical criminals vandalising our headquarters,"
"Crossing over Charlie鈥檚 face, scratching out Jesus and the Cross & spraying red paint on his neck. This isn鈥檛 the country we want to live in. Arizona is not Gotham."
Law enforcement responded to the scene on Sunday morning, eventually blocking off the area with caution tape before taking the sign down and placing the statue behind tarps and under a tent by afternoon. Phoenix police spokesperson Phoebe Crump confirmed that the incident remained under investigation and appealed to the public for information, directing tipsters to contact Phoenix police or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. As of Sunday afternoon, no suspects had been publicly identified.
The defacement occurred alongside ongoing legal proceedings regarding Kirk's assassination. Tyler Robinson has pleaded not guilty to murder charges and could face the death penalty if convicted. Meanwhile, Turning Point USA officials had previously noted plans to eventually move the statue behind the fence at some point.
