In an interview, Erika Kirk said she had dinner with Charlie a day before he was shot Erika Frantzve/ Instagram

In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University on 10 September, one of the most persistent rumours was that his wife, Erika Kirk, and their children had been in the audience and witnessed the attack.

The claim spread rapidly across social media, amplified by AI-generated content and an early misstep in news reporting. But a review of reliable accounts shows there is no evidence Erika or the children were present at the event.

What Really Happened

Erika Kirk later told The New York Times that she had stayed behind in Phoenix, where her mother was receiving medical treatment. On the evening before her husband’s trip, she and Charlie prayed with a faith leader in Arizona. She urged him to consider extra protection, even suggesting a bulletproof vest, but he declined, insisting his security arrangements in Utah were sufficient.

The following morning, at 11:23 a.m., Erika was still in her mother’s hospital room when she received a call from Kirk’s longtime assistant, Michael McCoy. She said she knew instantly something was wrong, telling reporters, ‘He’s been shot,’ before the words were even spoken.

She later boarded a chartered flight to Utah. During the journey, Kirk was pronounced dead. Erika recalled gazing out at the mountains from the plane and thinking, ‘This is exactly what he last saw.’

Erika Kirk with her underage children

How the Rumour Spread

Despite Erika’s own account, the false narrative that she was at the university gained traction. Early BBC live coverage stated that the family had been present, though this was later corrected to say their presence was unclear. By then, the claim had already been repeated by several outlets that did not update their stories.

The story gained further attention when Donald Trump Jr. publicly said Kirk was killed ‘in front of his wife and young children.’ The statement, though unverified, circulated widely online, cementing the misconception in the public mind.

Fact-checking organisations including Snopes have since confirmed that no video, photo, or eyewitness testimony supports the claim. Some of the viral posts were later traced back to AI-generated material that invented details about the family being there.

The Facts as They Stand

Law enforcement has provided no evidence that Erika or the couple’s children were present at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors have charged 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson with aggravated murder and related offences, but the case filings and official statements contain no reference to family members at the scene.

The rumours about Erika Kirk’s whereabouts highlight how misinformation can spread unchecked in the confusion of a tragedy.

In this instance, a combination of premature reporting, public figures’ remarks, and the amplification power of AI tools created a viral story that contradicted the available evidence.

As it stands, the record is clear: Erika Kirk was not in Utah when her husband was shot. She was in Phoenix, caring for her mother, when the call came.

No actual photos, videos or first-hand accounts support the idea that Kirk’s wife and children were present as of this time.