"Turning a tragedy into a spectacle" - Internet left shocked by TPUSA's AmFest displaying the tent where Charlie Kirk was assassinated at UVU

TPUSA's AmFest 2025 took place in Arizona's Phoenix Convention Center over the weekend, and has since become the talk of the town. Among the heated attacks and back-to-back debates, the organization put up a display of the tent from Utah Valley University under which Charlie Kirk was allegedly shot. 

A picture of the tent was posted on X by Fox News on Sunday, and has since gone viral, attracting comments that reflect the understandabe shock netizens have experienced. 

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That’s a bit much, isn’t it? Turning a tragedy into a spectacle—leaves a bad taste, like dodgy pie and chips. Time for some respect, not theatrics.

— Yorkshire Lass (@eyup_io) December 22, 2025

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"Political violence should never be normalized or used for symbolism. If we truly care about free speech and democracy, we should focus on ending violence, not turning tragedies into political props." - commented an X user.

"'Come take a selfie at the crime scene' Yall are f**king weird." - wrote another.

"Displaying a replica of the tent where Charlie Kirk was killed isn’t a tribute it’s a grotesque monetization of a tragedy. Turning Point has officially transitioned from a political movement into a macabre carnival that treats an assassination like a photo-op. This is peak grift culture, using martyrdom to sell merch while the movement descends into total infighting. Absolutely ghoulish." - added a third one.

"Not enough. They should’ve propped up his dead body so everyone could take selfies with him. If you’re going to be inappropriate and morbid, might as well go all the way." - replied a fourth netizen.

"This isn't memorialization, it's mobilization. Turning a murder scene into a touring exhibit converts grief into loyalty and fear into fundraising. When death is staged, it's not remembrance - it's an industrial input." - tweeted a fifth user.

Erika Kirk acknowledged Jeannie Beeman at the AmFest 2025

Such a precious moment with sweet Jeanie Beeman at AmFest 2025. Thank you for being a part of my Charlie’s legacy.
I love your courage.
God bless you. pic.twitter.com/8vVKp2AeVl

— Erika Kirk (@MrsErikaKirk) December 20, 2025

While Charlie Kirk's alleged murder tent put up on display at the AmFest was a questionable choice for many, Erika Kirk's address having Jeannie Beeman's mention was the one thing everyone was happy about.

Beeman was not only invited to the AmFest by the TPUSA but also called on stage, where Erika hugged her graciously. She later posted a clip of the moment on X, writing:

"Such a precious moment with sweet Jeannie Beeman at AmFest 2025. Thank you for being a part of my Charlie's legacy. I love your courage. God bless you."

For the unversed, Beeman is an elderly Target employee who went viral after a TikToker - Michelea Ponce - berated her for wearing Charlie Kirk's "Freedom" t-shirt at work, accusing her of supporting racism.

After the TikTok video went viral, millions came forward to support Jeannie's humility and even started a fundraise for her, which has since collected over $250K in donations.