Vice President JD Vance will forgo a planned visit to Ground Zero in New York for the Sept. 11 anniversary to travel to Salt Lake City on Thursday to pay respects to the family of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a source familiar with the change in plans told the Daily Mail.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem. He collapsed immediately after being struck in the neck by a single bullet fired from about 200 yards and was pronounced dead about two-and-a-half hours after being taken to a hospital, according to multiple media reports. The killer remained at large on Thursday as the FBI and Utah law enforcement agencies conducted a manhunt.
Second Lady Usha Vance will join the vice president on the trip to Salt Lake City, the source said. The Vances had been scheduled to visit the World Trade Center site to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks before deciding to change plans.
Kirk, a conservative commentator and founder of a national youth-focused organization, leaves behind his wife, Erika Frantzve Kirk, and two young children, a three-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son. The couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May.
President Donald Trump led public tributes to Kirk on Wednesday, posting on the social platform Truth Social and releasing a four-minute video filmed in the Oval Office. In the video, Trump said he was "filled with grief and anger" at the assassination and described Kirk's mission as encouraging young people to enter politics. Trump also said the nation should "confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequences of demonizing those with whom you disagree," and blamed political rhetoric for contributing to violence.
Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect or announced a motive. The FBI and Utah police said they are investigating the shooting and searching for the person or persons responsible. Law enforcement officials have urged anyone with information to come forward, and local authorities increased security at political events and campus gatherings in the aftermath.
Kirk had been speaking for roughly 20 minutes during an open forum and had been answering a question about mass shootings just seconds before he was struck, according to witness accounts reported by media outlets. The event drew hundreds of students.
The decision by the vice president to alter his itinerary comes amid heightened national attention to the killing of a prominent political figure and renewed debate about security at public events and the tone of political discourse. Officials in Washington and Utah are coordinating on the investigation, and the White House has indicated it will monitor developments closely.
As the investigation continues, federal and local law enforcement officials said they would provide updates as more information becomes available. Vance’s trip to Salt Lake City is expected to include a private visit with Kirk’s family and meetings with local law enforcement, the source said, though officials did not immediately release a public schedule.