Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, will be honored in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Thursday, Sept. 11, as his loved ones gather to mourn his sudden and tragic death.
“The second family will be flying to Salt Lake City, Utah, to visit Charlie Kirk’s family and a number of close friends on Thursday, Sept. 11,” a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University, a shocking act of violence that has stunned the conservative movement and left a deep void among his friends, followers, and political allies.
“Kirk’s casket will be flown back on Air Force Two to Phoenix, Arizona, likely on Thursday night, along with his family and friends,” the source confirmed.
Turning Point USA, which Kirk founded at just 18, is headquartered in Phoenix, where friends and supporters gathered Wednesday night for a vigil outside the organization’s offices.
Among the most personal tributes came from Vice President JD Vance, who posted a lengthy and emotional remembrance on X, describing Kirk as a man of “courage, faith and profound loyalty.”
“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.”
The post offered a rare and candid look into the depth of Kirk’s influence behind the scenes — not just on the conservative youth movement, but on the formation of the Trump-Vance ticket that would later define the 2024 presidential race.
Kirk, a longtime advocate for young people in the conservative movement, was described by Vance as pivotal to President Trump’s decision-making process in his selection as running mate in 2024.
As the conservative world reels from the loss of one of its most dynamic and influential voices, plans for further memorials are expected to unfold in the coming days.
