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Thousands of people are gathering in Arizona to remember the conversative activist, who was assassinated while speaking at a college in Utah.
The memorial is being held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The stadium can seat up to 73,000, and other overflow areas have been set up to accommodate the crowds.
The memorial will be able to be viewed in the video above beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern time (check time zones here),
Key points to know about the Charlie Kirk memorial
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2:08PM – Air Force Two touches down
Air Force Two, carrying Vice President Vance and family as well as others touched down at Luke Air Force Base.
Air Force One, which carries President Trump and his entourage, is expected shortly after.
2:05PM – Elon Musk arrives
Elon Musk has arrived at State Farm Stadium.
The service was initially set to start at 2PM. A group of bagpipers began playing “Amazing Grace” around 2:05PM, but it’s not yet clear if that is the official start of the service.
1:45PM – President, Vice President set to arrive
Air Force One, carrying President Donald Trump, and Air Force Two, carrying Vice President Vance, are expected to arrive soon. Secret Service and police will clear out the roads so they can make their way to the memorial.
12:30PM -Overflow areas are opening
The overflow areas are beginning to open, KPNX reports. Glendale police tell the station that the stadium is now full, and people will be redirected to the overflow arenas.
12:10PM – Crowds could top 200,000, police say
A spokesperson for the Glendale Police Department said Sunday that more than 200,000 may attend the memorial service for the slain conservative activist — double the previous estimate of 100,000. That would be well over the capacity for State Farm Stadium and the overflow site.
As of 9 a.m. local time, reporters noted that attendees were still going into State Farm Stadium and police had yet to open the overflow instead.
10:45 AM – Crowds beginning to get seated in the stadium; Donald Trump leaves White House
While 11 a.m. was originally listed as the time that the stadium doors would open, live video from inside the stadium shows crowds have begun to be seated.
Donald Trump has left the White House to head to Arizona for the service.
“We’re going to celebrate the life of a great man today,” Trump told reporters. “It will be a tough day.”
What happened to Charlie Kirk?
Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday, Sept. 10, while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. A 22-year-old man, Tyler Robinson, has been arrested in the death.
Kirk, a conservative activist and podcaster, founded the nonprofit Turning Point USA in 2012. Their headquarters are located in Phoenix, AZ.
Since his death, tributes have rolled in from politicians and fans of his work across the country and on both sides of the political aisle.
President Donald Trump called Kirk “Great, and even Legendary,” adding “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”
Trump also announced he would posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk and ordered all U.S. flags on federal land be lowered to half-staff for four days.
Vance also honored Kirk by hosting “The Charlie Kirk Show” on Sept. 15.
“Charlie Kirk was a true friend,” Vance wrote in a tribute online. “The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him. I am on more than a few group chats with Charlie and people he introduced me to over the years. We celebrate weddings and babies, bust each other’s chops, and mourn the loss of loved ones.”
Vance credited Kirk with playing a central role in helping staff the Trump administration.
“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” he said.
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