Riley Gaines has revealed that Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, once told her that her ‘greatest fear’ was the MAGA star getting assassinated.
Kirk, 31, was killed on Wednesday after he was shot in the neck while speaking at an event at a university in Utah. The police now have a suspect, Tyler Robinson, in custody.
Gaines paid an emotional tribute to the conservative commentator and father of two in a video posted by OutKick on Thursday.
The former NCAA All-American swimmer, who sat alongside Kirk at an event at San Francisco State University back in May, called him ‘a friend and mentor’.
Gaines also recalled a conversation she once had with Erika about the risks involved with Charlie sharing his fierce MAGA views in debates across the country.
Gaines said: ‘I’ve lost a friend, a mentor, the person I go to. The intellectual mind and genius that is Charlie Kirk, the generational talent.
Riley Gaines has revealed that Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, feared that he would get killed
Gaines paid an emotional tribute to the conservative commentator, saying he was a ‘mentor’
‘I truthfully believe that his impact alone as one person and what he’s been able to do through Turning Point, which I’m a very very proud contributor of, I talk about it on this show all the time, what he’s been able to do is transform a nation, revive a culture. A culture of young people, people just like me.
‘I lost a friend and a mentor, Erika lost her husband, I can’t help but think about her. This is one of the most kind and compassionate women you can possibly imagine.
‘This was her greatest fear, I mean we had talked about it. This is her greatest fear, I won’t go into the details there, two children lost their father. They will be haunted forever by the videos that can’t be scrubbed from social media.’
Kirk’s alleged assassin Tyler Robinson made chilling remarks about the conservative commentator during a family dinner in the lead-up to his murder, Daily Mail reported earlier on Friday.
Robinson, 22, brought up Kirk’s visit to Utah Valley University on September 10 and spoke of his dislike for the 31-year-old MAGA influencer, family members told investigators.
‘They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had,’ Utah governor Spencer Cox revealed in a press conference this morning.
The family members also told police Robinson had described Kirk as ‘full of hate and spreading hate’.
Robinson’s comments raised a red flag among his family – so much so that they told police about the conversation following his arrest for Kirk’s murder.
Kirk leaves behind his wife, Erika Frantzve, and a son, 16 months, and a daughter, three
Erika was seen holding hands with Usha Vance as she stepped off Air Force Two on Thursday
It was Robinson’s father who ultimately turned his son into law enforcement.
Sources told the Daily Mail that Robinson confessed to his father, Matt Robinson, who owns and operates a construction company.
Matt had recognized his son in photos shared by the FBI and confronted him about the shooting.
When Robinson confessed, his dad urged him to turn himself in.
The 22-year-old reportedly told his dad that he would rather kill himself than turn himself in, but was persuaded to speak with a local youth minister, who also works with the US Marshals Service.
Cox said Friday that a family member of Robinson’s ‘reached out to a family friend, who contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident’.
He was taken into custody Thursday night.
Robinson’s family members told police the 22-year-old had become ‘more political in recent years’, Cox said.
Tyler Robinson seen in his mugshot following his arrest over the shooting of Charlie Kirk
Robinson, 22, accused of killing Charlie Kirk, pictured with his parents Matt and Amber and two younger brothers in a family photo shared online
They also confirmed Robinson had a grey Dodge Challenger – matching the description of the suspect’s vehicle.
Robinson’s roommate also directed officers to the suspect’s Discord platform.
The roommate said Robinson had messaged him asking to retrieve his rifle, wrapped in a towel in some bushes, Cox said.
Robinson now faces charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Cox said prosecutors will pursue the death penalty if he is convicted.
The motive for the assassination remains unclear.
For more on this story – follow Daily Mail podcast ‘The Assassination of Charlie Kirk,’ out now wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.
