A memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk will be held on Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, Turning Point USA announced, drawing national political figures and the public to a venue that seats more than 60,000.
Turning Point USA, the organisation Kirk co-founded, invited people to "celebrate his remarkable life and enduring legacy," announcing the stadium service on social media. President Donald Trump is expected to attend, along with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the organisation said.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on Wednesday while hosting a public "Prove Me Wrong" debate at Utah Valley University. The shooting occurred during a session in which he was taking a question about gun violence and transgender issues. Authorities say the suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, surrendered to police and was taken into custody on Sept. 12. Robinson is being held at Utah County Jail without bail and on a special watch to determine whether he is a danger to himself or others. He is expected to make his first court appearance next week, when formal charges will be announced.
Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, made her first public remarks since his death on a livestream from Turning Point USA's headquarters, pledging to keep his work alive and addressing those she called the country's "evil doers." "You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife," she said. "The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry." She later posted videos and photos on Instagram showing her at her husband's open casket.
Before departing for Israel on Saturday, Secretary of State Rubio said he would return in time for the memorial and described Kirk as a "great young man." "I admired all the stuff he said and did on campuses, and again, an enormous influence on young people, primarily," Rubio said.
Kirk was a polarising figure in American political life, credited by supporters with energising young conservatives and building a formidable youth operation. Turning Point USA, headquartered in Arizona, was the vehicle for much of that activity; Kirk and his wife had lived in the state with their two children. His organisation helped mobilise the youth vote, and he was widely regarded among Republican circles as an influential organiser within the coalition that aided President Trump's return to the White House for a second term.
Following Kirk's death, President Trump said he would award the activist a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him "a giant of his generation and a champion of liberty." The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honour.
Authorities continue to investigate the shooting. Police have given limited details about the motive and the circumstances surrounding the attack, saying only that Robinson surrendered and was taken into custody. The Utah County Jail has placed him on special watch as officials assess whether he poses a risk to himself or others ahead of his upcoming court appearance.
Arizona holds particular significance for the event and for Turning Point USA: it is the organisation's headquarters and the state where Kirk and his family lived. The announcement of a large public memorial at a major sports venue signals the organisation's intent to draw a wide audience and high-profile conservative figures for a public commemoration.
The shooting has intensified national attention on political safety at public events and thrust college campuses into the heart of broader political debate, with leaders across the conservative movement offering tributes and signalling a determination to continue the causes Kirk championed. Legal proceedings against the suspect are expected to move forward in the coming days as investigators and prosecutors prepare formal charges and court filings.