Charlie Kirk’s body flown on Air Force Two to his home in Arizona

Charlie Kirk’s body was flown Thursday on Air Force Two — the vice president’s plane — from Utah to Arizona, where he lived with his family.

The 31-year-old conservative activist was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon at an event at a Utah university. He is survived by his wife, Erika, and two young children.

Vice President JD Vance was seen helping carry Kirk’s casket on a tarmac in Salt Lake City, Utah, in a video posted on social media by Tyler Bower, who worked with Kirk at his organization Turning Point USA. The vice presidential aircraft transported Kirk’s body to Phoenix, landing shortly before 5 p.m. local time. 

Second lady Usha Vance stepped off the plane in Phoenix with Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, the Associated Press reported. Both women wore black and sunglasses. The vice president was a few steps behind in a dark suit.

Spokespeople for the vice president declined to comment ahead of the flight. 

A funeral is being planned, and President Trump said earlier in the day that he’s planning to attend.

“Welcome home, Charlie. You didn’t deserve it. May God bless your family,” an unknown voice said on the air traffic control tower frequency after Air Force Two landed, the AP reported.

Kirk was killed as he was speaking to a crowd at an outdoor “Prove Me Wrong” debate at Utah Valley University. A suspect has not yet been identified.

Kirk’s body was transferred from the hospital to a medical examiner’s office on Wednesday night, Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said.

Vance noted on Wednesday that he and Kirk were friends and said Kirk advocated “in public and private” for Mr. Trump to pick him as his running mate last year. Vance praised Turning Point USA’s role in organizing pro-Trump events last year and credited Kirk with some of the Trump administration’s personnel decisions.

“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”

The Associated Press,

Joe Walsh and

Melissa Quinn

contributed to this report.