WATCH: Crowd Honors Charlie Kirk’s Motorcade As It Arrives In Phoenix, Arizona

Massive crowds lined up alongside the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona throughout the day Thursday in honor of the vital conservative youth organization’s founder, Charlie Kirk, who was murdered while addressing college students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Throngs of supporters also lined the route as a motorcade carrying Kirk’s casket made its way through his home city after arriving aboard Air Force Two on Thursday evening.

Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, met with Kirk’s wife, Erika and his two young children in Salt Lake City earlier in the day. The vice president then personally escorted Kirk’s casket before it was loaded aboard the aircraft for Kirk’s trip home to Phoenix.

Throughout the day, crowds of supporters lined up outside the organization’s headquarters. Multiple memorials were erected outside the building, one of which featured a photo of Kirk alongside the quote, “May Charlie be received into the merciful arms of Jesus, our loving Savior.”

That memorial was adorned with flowers and sat below a flag flown at half-mast, which was ordered by President Trump in honor of Kirk.

Additional memorials were erected and vigils held in memorial of Kirk in additional cities throughout the United States.

A memorial to the conservative icon sits outside the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona

Around 5 p.m. local time, Air Force Two arrived in Kirk’s home city, where air traffic control operators paid tribute to the conservative icon as the aircraft landed. “Welcome home, Charlie. You didn’t deserve it… May God bless your family,” an air traffic control operator said as the plane was taxiing on the runway.

A hearse carrying Kirk’s casket soon made its way through downtown Phoenix, escorted by a large motorcade before reaching its final destination at the Hansen Mortuary.

Throngs of supporters paid tribute to Kirk along the route.

Supporters pay their respects after Air Force Two touched down in Phoenix, Arizona                                                           Photo: Fox 10 Phoenix

WATCH:

Vice President Vance eulogized Kirk by crediting much of his success in politics to him in a touching social media post on Wednesday night.

“Charlie was fascinated by ideas and always willing to learn and change his mind. Like me, he was skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016. Like me, he came to see President Trump as the only figure capable of moving American politics away from the globalism that had dominated for our entire lives,” the vice president wrote.

Vance credited Kirk with backing his fledgling Senate campaign from the beginning and coaching him through the entire political process. He further revealed that Kirk assisted his family with adjusting to such a public life after he was tapped to be President Trump’s running mate.

“He wasn’t just a thinker, he was a doer, turning big ideas into bigger events with thousands of activists. And after every event, he would give me a big hug, tell me he was praying for me, and ask me what he could do,” Vance continued.

“Now that Charlie is in heaven, I’ll ask him to talk to the big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly.”

“You ran a good race, my friend.”

“We’ve got it from here.”