BS BULLETIN:
- A new eight-foot Charlie Kirk statue outside Turning Point USA’s Phoenix headquarters was vandalized with red paint just three days after it was unveiled.
- Paint was sprayed across Kirk’s face and neck, while the name “Jesus” and a cross were crossed out on a nearby memorial.
- Phoenix police are investigating and have not announced a suspect or arrest.
Just three days after Turning Point USA unveiled a statue honoring its assassinated founder Charlie Kirk, someone vandalized it in the middle of the night.
The eight-foot bronze statue outside TPUSA’s Phoenix headquarters was discovered Sunday morning covered in red paint.
Images showed paint across Kirk’s face, hand and neck — the area where he was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University one year ago.
A crude frowning face was also painted across the statue’s chest.
But the vandalism didn’t stop with Kirk.
A nearby memorial sign bearing the message “Jesus defeated death so you can live” was also targeted. The name “Jesus” and an image of the cross were crossed out, while “Satan” was apparently scrawled on the display.
Turning Point USA Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer said the organization woke Sunday to find “radical criminals vandalizing our headquarters.”
TPUSA called the attack “diabolical.”
“Beyond spray painting on the neck and face, they made the intentional decision to cross out the name of Jesus on a nearby sign,” the organization said.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, responded with a promise to rebuild.
“Charlie once said we should be building two statues for every statue that they tear down,” she wrote.
“They thought a bullet would silence my husband’s voice but it only made it louder.”
Erika Kirk said the organization would restore both the statue and the Christian memorial.
“We’ll put His name right back where it belongs, clean up the mess, restore Charlie’s statue, and keep building,” she wrote.
The timing made the vandalism particularly striking.
TPUSA installed the statue Thursday, Sept. 10, exactly one year after Kirk was assassinated while speaking before students at Utah Valley University.
The organization also returned to the Utah campus for a memorial marking the anniversary, where another statue of Kirk was unveiled.
Phoenix police said officers began receiving reports of vandalism shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday. No suspect description or arrest had been announced as of Sunday afternoon.
TPUSA said it is reviewing surveillance footage and cooperating with police.
“We will restore the statue and replace the signs,” the organization said, “but we are also reviewing the footage of the incident and are working with law enforcement to identify who did this and hold them accountable.”
DBS WIRE SOURCES:
- Fox News — Charlie Kirk statue defaced with red paint outside TPUSA headquarters
- New York Post — New Charlie Kirk statue vandalized outside TPUSA headquarters
- Associated Press — Republicans honor Charlie Kirk one year after his assassination
- Fox News — Supporters return to Utah Valley University one year after Kirk assassination
