The state of Arizona welcomed home the body of Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative figure and co-founder of Turning Point USA, after he was tragically killed at a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah; his casket arrived in Phoenix on Air Force Two with Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha who escorted Kirk's widow, Erika, off the plane, Fox 10 Phoenix reports.
Though the specifics of the shooting remain under investigation, it was captured on a graphic video that went viral on social media showing the moment Kirk was shot and the ensuing chaos, law enforcement initially detained two suspects, George Zinn and Zacharia Qureshi, both of whom were released and cleared of involvement in the shooting, the hunt for the actual shooter still continues, this information made public by the Utah Department of Public Safety according to Fox 10 Phoenix.
A few hundred people gathered at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to observe the somber return; one attendant, Lisa Smith, expressed the weight of the moment, telling Fox 10 Phoenix, "I just think it's a very sad day for our country," while another, Thomas Gateley, reflected on the broader implications, "You don't have to be a supporter of him... Regardless of how you feel about him, he doesn't deserve what happened, and I think it's sad that now in the future, people are going to be concerned on, ‘hey, can I speak my mind without something bad happening?’ That's not who we are as a country."
Vice President Vance, who had previously been supported by Kirk and described him as "a true friend", played a pivotal role in the solemn proceedings, by helping to carry the casket aboard Air Force Two – a gesture that signifies the gravity of Kirk's untimely death, his prior relationship with Kirk was highlighted when Vance shared reminisces on social media, recounting how a compliment from Kirk following an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show on Fox News sparked their friendship, his heartfelt statement recounting a friendship kindled by shared appearances on conservative media and mutual support in political endeavors, AP News reported.
The casket was later transferred to Hansen Mortuary where final arrangements for Kirk will be made.
