Vice President JD Vance and his wife personally accompanied the casket, as President Trump pledged to attend upcoming services.

PHOENIX — The unmistakable silhouette of Air Force Two descending over the Arizona desert drew silence from the crowd gathered near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday evening.

On board the plane was not only Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance, but also the casket of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose assassination a day earlier in Utah has shaken the nation.

At precisely 5:30 p.m., the casket was transferred into a black hearse under a police escort, its route lined with mourners holding American flags and candles.

Minutes later, the procession arrived at Hansen Mortuary Chapel on Seventh Street, where dozens of supporters stood in tears.

“We just wanted to be here for him,” said Maria Torres, a Phoenix resident who had brought her two teenage sons. “Charlie gave a voice to young conservatives. Now he’s silenced forever.”

The return of Kirk’s body to his home state of Arizona marks the latest chapter in a story that began with unthinkable violence.

Kirk, 31, founder of the influential conservative group Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Witnesses described chaos as a single gunshot rang out, striking Kirk in the neck.

Videos shared widely on social media showed him collapsing as stunned students and staff rushed to help. “It was like time stopped,” said Beau Mason, Utah’s commissioner of public safety.

“The shooter blended in with the crowd and carried out an act that felt chillingly deliberate.”

Law enforcement later recovered a Mauser .30 caliber bolt-action rifle, wrapped in a towel, hidden in a wooded area near the campus. Officials released two photographs Thursday morning of a person of interest—a figure dressed in black, wearing sunglasses and a hat.

While two individuals detained on Wednesday were released, authorities expressed confidence they were closing in on the shooter’s identity. “We have mapped the movements on campus,” Mason said. “This was premeditated.”

The shocking attack has reverberated beyond Utah, particularly in Phoenix, where Kirk lived and worked.

His organization, Turning Point USA, headquartered in downtown Phoenix, has been central to his mission of mobilizing young conservatives on college campuses nationwide.

On Thursday night, a vigil outside TPUSA headquarters drew hundreds. Many wept openly, others sang hymns, and several carried signs reading “Justice for Charlie” and “End the Violence.”

Inside the halls of power, tributes poured in. President Donald Trump announced he intends to attend Kirk’s services, though details of the funeral or public viewing have yet to be confirmed.

“Charlie was a warrior for America, and his loss is a devastating blow to the movement,” Trump said in a brief statement.

Vice President Vance, who had been scheduled to appear at a Sept. 11 commemoration in New York, instead diverted his plans to Salt Lake City. He and his wife personally accompanied Kirk’s body home to Arizona.

In a lengthy eulogy posted on X, formerly Twitter, Vance reflected on their friendship. “Charlie believed in the power of young people to shape this nation.

He was tireless, fearless, sometimes controversial, but always sincere. His absence leaves a hole in our hearts and in the conservative movement.”

The atmosphere outside the mortuary was heavy with grief. Supporters formed a line to place flowers at the entrance, while others prayed quietly.

“He was more than a political figure; he was a mentor,” said Austin Walker, a local Turning Point staffer. “I wouldn’t be who I am today without Charlie Kirk. It’s impossible to accept that he’s gone.”

Authorities have placed temporary flight restrictions around Phoenix Sky Harbor until late Thursday evening, citing security concerns.

Law enforcement sources confirmed the FBI and Secret Service are both actively involved in the investigation, underscoring the seriousness of the attack.

“This is about more than one man,” a federal official said on condition of anonymity. “It’s about ensuring the safety of public figures in an era of rising political violence.”

The killing of Charlie Kirk is the latest in a string of violent incidents at political events, raising fears about security at campus speaking engagements.

Former CIA officer David Reynolds, now a security consultant, told local media: “College campuses are open spaces, and that makes them uniquely vulnerable. You can’t fully secure every tent, every lawn, every student gathering.”

The emotional toll is evident in Phoenix’s conservative community. Turning Point Academy, a private school affiliated with TPUSA, held a special assembly Thursday morning where teachers helped students process the loss.

“The kids are scared and confused,” said social worker Amanda Klein. “They’re asking why someone would want to kill their hero.”

Even Kirk’s detractors have acknowledged the tragedy. Several liberal student groups issued statements condemning the violence, emphasizing that political differences should never be settled with bloodshed.

“We may have disagreed strongly with Charlie Kirk, but no one should die for their beliefs,” one Utah Valley student organization wrote.

As Kirk’s family retreats into private mourning, preparations for a public memorial continue. Details are expected in the coming days, with speculation that a service could draw thousands, including high-profile conservative leaders from across the country.

For now, Phoenix is holding vigil. Outside Hansen Mortuary Chapel, a young woman clutching a candle summed up the feelings of many: “He left us too soon. But he also left us a mission. We can’t let his voice be silenced in vain.”

Charlie Kirk’s body rests tonight in his home city, but the investigation into his assassination presses forward.

The questions of who, why, and how remain, while supporters across Arizona and beyond brace themselves for a farewell that promises to be as monumental as the life he lived.