Did Carlos Alcaraz donate $260,000 and dedicate an empty seat in honor of Charlie Kirk? Viral claim debunked

A report by Sport 247 on September 14, 2025, created headlines after claiming that Carlos Alcaraz had dedicated an empty seat as a tribute to Charlie Kirk at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in the US Open.

The news has been revealed to be fake, as the tennis player has not taken any such initiative and has not reacted to Kirk’s death, as of this writing. The same outlet additionally claimed in another report that Carlos has donated $260,000 to Charlie’s family, which is also not true.

Notably, Kirk was shot dead last week at Utah Valley University, and he was known as the co-founder of an organization called Turning Point USA. As per Sport 247, Carlos Alcaraz reportedly appeared at the press conference and addressed his initiative of the empty seat by saying:

“Tennis is not just about trophies or rankings. It’s about the people who believe in you, who life you when no one else sees the work behind the scenes. Charlie was one of those people for me – and for the sport. This empty seat ensures that his spirit will always remain on court with us.”

A Facebook post by Tennis Excellence, which also added a link to Sports 247’s report in the comments section, stated that the empty seat would have a golden plaque with the following words: “Forever in the Heart of Tennis - Charlie Kirk.”

The second report stated that Carlos was donating $90,000 for murals and floral memorials, followed by $170,000 to ensure a secure future for Charlie Kirk’s daughters.

Formal charges to be filed against Charlie Kirk’s murder suspect

According to ABC News, the political activist’s murder suspect, Tyler Robinson, has been arrested by the authorities and taken to the Utah County Jail. Investigators are already checking the evidence to see whether the suspect had access to any kind of electronic devices.

While the motive behind the incident remains unknown, Tyler Robinson will be appearing in court on September 16, 2025. Utah County officials have additionally confirmed that Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray will reveal the charges against Tyler in a press conference.

FBI Director Kash Patel appeared for a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing recently, where he claimed that, apart from Tyler, everyone else who was a part of the Discord chat is being investigated by the FBI. Notably, Robinson had allegedly confessed to having fired the shot at Charlie Kirk in the same chat a few hours before he was arrested, as per ABC News.

Kash Patel opened up on the investigation conducted so far during the hearing, saying that he was the one to order the release of the suspect’s picture. While Patel’s investigation was criticized on social media, he responded to the same during a conversation on Fox & Friends on September 15, 2025, and said:

“I was telling the world what the FBI was doing as we were doing it. I continue to do it. I challenge anyone out there to find a director who has been more transparent and more willing to work the media with high profile cases or any cases that the FBI [is] handling.”

Kirk gained recognition for his self-titled radio show over the years and was known as the author of books like Time for a Turning Point: Setting a Course Toward Free Markets and Limited Government for Future Generations.