Erika Kirk has been spotted in floods of tears and visibly shaken after gunfire broke out at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday evening, with footage showing her being escorted from the Washington Hilton by security personnel.
The mother-of-two reportedly took shelter beneath a table when shots rang out at approximately 8.30 pm local time.
Videos shared on social media showed the distressed widow of Charlie Kirk repeatedly saying: "I just want to go home. I just want to go home."
Videos were posted to social media showing Ms Kirk being hurried from the ballroom in an emotional state.
Erika Kirk was escorted from the dinner
|MOSHEH/INSTAGRAM
Bret Baier, whose network had invited Ms Kirk as a guest, said he saw her "crying in the back hall" following the incident.
The shooting comes just seven months after Ms Kirk’s husband was killed in a targeted attack while addressing students at Utah Valley University in September.
Mr Kirk, who was 31 at the time of his death, had been speaking at a Turning Point USA event when he was shot.
Following his death, Ms Kirk assumed leadership of the right-wing activist organisation her husband had founded, stepping into the role of chief executive.
Erika Kirk with her late husband, Charlie Kirk | INSTAGRAMThe couple have two children together.
Saturday’s incident marks the second time in less than a year that Ms Kirk has been caught up in gun violence linked to political events.
Just weeks before Saturday’s shooting, Ms Kirk withdrew from a scheduled appearance alongside Vice President JD Vance at the University of Georgia, citing security concerns.
Organisers described the threats against her as “very serious,” though Mr Vance proceeded with the Turning Point USA event without her.
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Shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen, was arrested at the scene
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Ms Kirk later wrote on social media: “I was so looking forward to tonight's event at the @universityofga with our Vice President @JDVance, but after all our family has been through, I take my security team's recommendations extremely seriously.”
She added: “Thank you to our amazing Georgia chapter for your support. God bless you all!”
Earlier in the evening, photographs showed Ms Kirk smiling alongside Fox News personality Lawrence Jones, seated near Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Witnesses said FBI Director Kash Patel was seen comforting Ms Kirk following the incident.
The suspected gunman, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California, was apprehended at the scene after being tackled by agents.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday that Mr Allen appeared to have planned the attack with the intention of targeting the Trump administration figures, “likely including the president".
A tearful Erika Kirk at her husband's memorial service
| GETTYA Secret Service officer sustained a gunshot wound to a bullet-resistant vest but has since been discharged from hospital.
Mr Allen faces multiple charges, including assaulting an officer with a deadly weapon, and is expected to appear in court on Monday.