Charlie Kirk's 'final' video row intensifies as Candace Owens slams Erika Kirk's actions: 'Psychotic' | Hindustan Times

The dispute surrounding footage of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s final days has intensified after podcaster Candace Owens sharply criticized his widow, Erika Kirk, over the release of a private video showing Kirk with his children.Owens, in an X post on Thursday, September 24, accused Erika of allowing footage of what she described as Charlie Kirk’s “final private moments” with his children to be shared with online commentator Andrew Wilson. Owens called the development “deeply disturbing” and described the decision as “psychotic.”Owens’ comments came as her ongoing dispute with Wilson over footage connected to Charlie Kirk’s death entered a new phase. Wilson has shared previously unseen material that he says was recorded before Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University in September 2025. Wilson presented footage showing Kirk spending time at home with his children and attributed the recording to Erika Kirk.Also read: MTV VMAs 2026: All records Taylor Swift could break as singer set to receive unique award and make historyCandace Owens questions Erika Kirk footageIn her latest post, Owens argued that the release of private family footage raises questions about why such material was made public.She wrote that there was “no sane widow” who would agree to hand over private footage of her late husband with his children for online commentary and fundraising. Owens further alleged that the material was being used to “troll the internet,” while accusing Erika of publicly dishonoring her late husband. Those statements are Owens' characterization of the dispute and have not been independently established as facts.Owens has also challenged the significance of metadata associated with the video. In earlier comments, she argued that metadata can be altered and said it does not, by itself, establish when or where a video was recorded. She has called for Erika Kirk to directly state who recorded the footage.Andrew Wilson’s role in the disputeWilson's release of the footage has become part of a broader public dispute between him and Owens over claims and counterclaims surrounding Charlie Kirk's final days.Also read: US launches new dedicated portal to report visa fraud and misuse: What students, H-1B and other visa holders should knowWilson used the footage to respond to questions raised by Owens about Erika Kirk's whereabouts around the time the material was allegedly recorded. Owens, however, has maintained that the footage does not independently establish where Erika was when it was made.What is established about the footageThe footage controversy should be separated from the established circumstances of Charlie Kirk's death. Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, and Tyler Robinson has been charged in connection with the killing.The subsequent investigation and court proceedings have generated extensive public debate over video evidence and the timeline surrounding the shooting.The latest dispute, however, concerns privately recorded family footage and competing interpretations of what it demonstrates.