Statue honoring Charlie Kirk vandalized

PHOENIX (NBC, KYMA) - A new statue honoring the late Charlie Kirk was vandalized overnight in Phoenix with red paint covering the face neck and hand.

"It was horrifying," said Tyler Bowyer, Chief Operating Officer for Turning Point USA (TPUSA). "It was clear that vandals came here spray-painted what looked like blood or what was intended to look like blood both on the sign right there and on the statue."

It comes one year after Kirk was shot and killed in Utah, and just days after the statue was unveiled outside of TPUSA headquarters in Phoenix, the organization he founded.

A sign that's been sitting at the base of a memorial since last September was also found covered in red paint Sunday morning.

"We are shocked by it. I think it's shocking and jarring anytime you see something like this," Bowyer expressed.

Bowyer said the statue was meant to celebrate Kirk's life, and said this act of violence won't change that.

"Our community has to step up and stand boldly in the face of political violence, violence in general and I think that's the message here today," Bowyer explained.

Supporters of Kirk came to pay their respects.

"Whether it was vandalized or not we were going to come and look at that," said Sandy McIntire, a Kirk supporter.

Many said they weren't surprised, but saddened by the vandalism.

"Even if you disagree with things that he believed in, it's hard to imagine mocking something so horrific," said Greg Matsen, another Kirk supporter.

Kirk's widow, Erika, condemned the act on X, saying in part, "They think spray paint can obscure his legacy, but it will only spread it further. Every attempt to tear down what Charlie built makes us root deeper and work even harder."

Bowyer said they worked quick to clean the statue and restore it for those who come to see it.

"When they come here, our hope is that they'll be inspired and that's the hope with the statue is that they'll remember Charlie and his life and walk away inspired," Bowyer shared.