Political commentator Tucker Carlson announced he and digital marketing expert Neil Patel set up a fundraiser to benefit Charlie Kirk's widow and their two children.
The news comes Thursday, which is a day after Kirk was assassinated in front of a large crowd as he spoke onstage during an event at Utah Valley University.
We met Charlie Kirk when he was 18, through our friend Foster Friess, and have known him well since. He was an amazing person. It's hard to find the right words in a moment like this or to understand exactly what's happened," Carlson and Patel said in a joint statement shared on social media.
But in the meantime we want to do everything we can for Charlie's widow Erika and their two small children. We've set up a GiveSendGo page on their behalf and are seeding it with $1 million from Alp Pouch ... Every dollar will go to Charlie's family," according to the post.
ALP is a brand of nicotine pouches Carlson founded in 2024.
Tucker shared a link to the fundraiser on X around 4:45 p.m., with a goal of $1 million As of 5:45 p.m., it amassed more than $267,000 along with the $1 million from ALP.
"Money could never replace Charlie, but I pray that God will richly reward Erika Kirk for her sacrifice," one person wrote in reply to Carlson's post.
Another person criticized Carlson for "mingling" the fundraiser with his nicotine brand , saying it "is completely unnecessary and kind of slimy."
"I didn't expect this from @TuckerCarlson," the person wrote.
Kirk was a 31-year-old political activist, who leaves behind a wife, Erika, and their two children, including a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old.
Erika is yet to comment publicly about the shooting, but she shared a Bible verse on social media shortly after her husband died.
Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," she wrote on X.
The couple just celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May, according to a post she shared on Instagram.
As his widow grieves, authorities are hunting for Kirk's killer. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released two photos of a person of interest, with the agency announcing the weapon likely used in the assassination was a high-powered rifle.
The FBI also said it is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the individual(s) responsible for Kirk's murder.
The agency urged the public to call 1-800-CALL-FBI, as well as submit photos and videos of the scene, at tips.fbi.gov.