Charlie Kirk’s Casket Will Be Flown on Air Force Two From Utah to Arizona

The casket of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk will be flown from Utah to Arizona on Air Force Two following his assassination this week, a source confirmed to Fox News Digital.

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem as part of his American Comeback Tour. Thousands were in attendance when a single gunshot struck Kirk in the neck.

He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Vice President J.D. Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance will travel to Salt Lake City on Thursday, September 11, to meet with Kirk’s family and close friends.

According to a source, Kirk’s casket will then be flown to Phoenix, Arizona, aboard Air Force Two, likely Thursday evening. Members of Kirk’s family and inner circle will accompany the casket on the flight.

BREAKING: Following JD Vance’s meeting with Charlie Kirk’s wife Erika and two children in Salt Lake City, Charlie and his casket will be flown back to his home state of Arizona aboard Air Force Two

What an honor for a true patriot pic.twitter.com/8uCsteBCmR

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 11, 2025

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Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization Kirk co-founded in 2012, is headquartered in Phoenix. Supporters and staff gathered there on Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil in his honor.

Vice President Vance shared a personal tribute to Kirk in a lengthy post on X, reflecting on their friendship and Kirk’s influence on his political path.

“Charlie was one of the first people I called when I thought about running for Senate in early 2021,” Vance wrote.

“We talked through everything, from the strategy to the fundraising to the grassroots of the movement he knew so well. He introduced me to some of the people who would run my campaign and also to Donald Trump Jr.”

Vance described Kirk as a man of faith, loyalty, and courage, noting that his role extended beyond activism and into shaping the Trump-Vance ticket in 2024. “Charlie was pivotal to President Trump’s decision-making process in his selection of me as running mate,” Vance wrote.

A while ago, probably in 2017, I appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox show to talk about God knows what. Afterwards a name I barely knew sent me a DM on twitter and told me I did a great job. It was Charlie Kirk, and that moment of kindness began a friendship that lasted until today.…

— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 11, 2025

Kirk was widely recognized for his work mobilizing young conservatives, particularly through college campus debates and Turning Point USA’s national conferences. He became one of the most visible advocates for conservative values among younger generations.

President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death in a post on Wednesday afternoon, calling him “the Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk.” Trump said, “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.”

The FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety have confirmed the attack was targeted. The shooter remains at large, though a rifle believed to have been used in the killing has been recovered. The investigation is ongoing.

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