Erika Kirk was one of the attendees at President Donald Trump’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday, April 25
'I Want to Go Home': Erika Kirk Leaves WHCA Dinner in Tears After Shooting Incident
Erika Kirk was left visibly distressed as she was escorted out of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Saturday, April 25, after multiple gunshots were fired at the Washington Hilton.
Eyewitness reports claim that as the shooting incident interrupted the annual event, Kirk, 37, was seen taking shelter under the table she was seated at, along with other guests. She was also reportedly consoled by FBI Director Kash Patel.
In video footage circulating on social media, Erika Kirk can be seen weeping as she is escorted out of the Hilton ballroom by two men after the incident.
CNN reporter Sara Sidner posted the clip to her Instagram account. In the video, a sobbing Erika can be seen saying, "I just want to go home."
CNN reporter Sara Sidner shares Erika Kirk's clip post the shooting incident at the WHCA dinner.
Erika Kirk's Husband Charlie Kirk's Assassination
Kirk's unnervingness is understandable, considering that her husband and conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated just seven months ago. Charlie Kirk, 31, was speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem on September 10, 2025, as part of his "American Comeback" tour, when the fatal shooting took place.
A few days after the incident, Kirk spoke about her late husband, saying, "Charlie loved his children, and he loved me with all of his heart. My husband laid down his life for me, for our nation, for our children."
"I honestly have no idea what any of this means. I know that G-d does, but I don't," she continued. "All the evildoers responsible for my husband's assassination have no idea what they have done."
After his passing, Erika stepped up to become the new CEO of Charlie's nonprofit, Turning Point USA.
Erika Kirk Withdrew from the TPUSA Event Following "Serious Threats"
Last week, Kirk withdrew from a TPUSA event in Athens, Georgia, that she was set to attend with Vice President JD Vance. She explained that she was "worried about some threats."
According to Fox News, TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said that Kirk, a mother of two, had received "some very serious threats in her direction." VP Vance, on the other hand, expressed concern about the entire event being cancelled and said that he spoke with the Secret Service about it.
"I know that she did get some threats, and about two hours ago, I was a little worried we were going to have to cancel the event because Erika was not going to come," Vance told the students of the University of Georgia, as per WSB-TV. "She was very worried about it."
Erika Kirk skipped TPUSA event with Vice President JD Vance due to "some very serious threats."
Meanwhile, law enforcement officials identified 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen as the suspected shooter at the WHCD Saturday night. Allen is from Torrance, California and was an educator with an engineering degree from a prestigious university.
According to CBS, which cited two law enforcement officials, five to eight gunshots were fired during the incident. Trump shared CCTV footage online, which showed a person rushing past security officials, who then turned and chased him. Allen was apprehended at the scene.
A senior official also told the news outlet that Allen left behind a written "manifesto" in which he mentioned that he wanted to target officials in the Trump administration. Authorities found anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on the suspect's social media accounts, the senior official revealed.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated from the location, and none of the attendees suffered serious injuries, authorities said.