The conservative political nonprofit Turning Point USA has announced a Sept. 21. memorial service for its late founder, Charlie Kirk.
Set to take place at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the memorial service will honor the 31-year-old political commentator, who was fatally shot at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10, while leading a campus speaking tour.
“Charlie died doing what he loved: fighting for truth, for faith, for family, and for America. His sacrifice will endure as a guiding light for generations,” Turning Point USA said in a statement on Sept. 13 announcing the tribute event.
State Farm Stadium is the home of the Arizona Cardinals NFL football team and is located a short distance from Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Phoenix.
Kirk cofounded the organization in 2012, with support from the late businessman and conservative political activist Bill Montgomery.
“What began as the vision of an 18-year-old in a small garage in Lemont, Illinois, grew into one of the most powerful grassroots movements in America,” Turning Point USA’s announcement reads.
A leading focus of Turning Point USA has been engaging high school and college-aged individuals in politics.
Throughout his career as a conservative influencer, Kirk frequented college campuses, delivering speeches to inspire other young conservatives and engaging in debates with his ideological opponents. He was just moments into a campus debate event at Utah Valley University, on the first stop of his American Comeback Tour, when he was struck by gunfire.
By the time of his death, Kirk had overseen the expansion of Turning Point USA into a multi-million-dollar organization with more than 250,000 student members, and chapters on around 800 college campuses around the country.
In addition to founding Turning Point USA to support campus-level conservative activism, Kirk led the formation of Turning Point Action to support voter registration and mobilization efforts.
Kirk’s influence brought him in direct contact with a range of top-level politicians, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Vance helped escort Kirk’s casket on Sept. 11, as it arrived in Arizona the day after he was killed.
On Sept. 12, while addressing the public for the first time following his death, Kirk’s wife, Erika, described the vice president as her husband’s “dear friend.”
Kirk’s influence crossed party lines and even national boundaries. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris both joined in condemning Kirk’s killing, as did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“Charlie’s life was short, but it was full. It was defined by truth, anchored in faith, and devoted to the country he loved. His legacy will endure for generations,” Turning Point USA said on Sept. 13.
The Sept. 21 memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. local time, and doors will open at 8 a.m.
