What do we know about Charlie Kirk's funeral?

A memorial service for the assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk will take place in Arizona on Sunday, with US President Donald Trump and other leading Republicans expected to attend.

Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on 10 September, leading to growing fears about rising levels of political violence in the US.

The following day, authorities in Utah arrested his suspected killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, several hundred kilometres from where the shooting took place.

Kirk’s body was flown home to Arizona from Utah last week on Air Force 2, accompanied by US Vice President JD Vance.

Vance elaborated on his close friendship with Kirk in a lengthy social media post late on the night of the killing, saying, “I owe so much to Charlie”.

“If it weren’t for Charlie Kirk, I would not be the vice president of the United States ... It’s one of the reasons why I feel so indebted to him," Vance said as he guest-hosted an episode of the Charlie Kirk Show on Monday.

Turning Point USA, the political movement Kirk founded to mobilise young voters, later confirmed that a public funeral will be held this week to celebrate what it called his “remarkable life and enduring legacy”.

Where is the funeral happening?

The memorial service will begin on Sunday morning at the 63,000-capacity State Farm Stadium in Glendale, the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.

Members of the public can register to attend the event, and tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

There will be an overflow at the next-door Desert Diamond Arena, according to Turning Point USA.

Arizona was where Kirk lived with his wife and their two children. It is also the headquarters of his political movement.

The service has still not been designated a national special security event, which would involve federal security agencies together with state and local law enforcement.

“Joint security planning is under way for the memorial and funeral of Charlie Kirk and appropriate public safety related information will be provided as the process matures in the coming days," Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.

Who will attend the memorial?

The funeral will be attended by many of the country's most prominent conservative figures.

Trump, who is currently on a state visit to the UK, told reporters on 11 September that he would be at the event.

“Whenever it is, I'll be going,” he said. “They’ve asked me to go and I think I have an obligation to do it.”

The president will give an address at the memorial, according to a programme shared by Turning Point, as will Kirk’s widow Erika and Vice President Vance.

Other high-profile attendees set to travel to Arizona for the event include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

A widow’s vow

In her first public comments since the murder of her husband, Erika Kirk appeared on a livestream last Saturday, promising that her partner’s “voice will remain”.

Addressing "evil-doers," she said: “They should all know this: if you thought that my husband's mission was powerful before you have no idea, you have no idea what you have just unleashed across this entire country and this world."

Kirk’s widow also reflected that his death had ignited a “fire” in her, and that her cries would “echo around the world like a battle cry”.

Murder investigation latest

On Tuesday, prosecutors in Utah confirmed that they would be seeking the death penalty against Robinson’s, Kirk’s suspected murderer.

While confirming the murder charge, they outlined evidence, including a confession Robinson is said to have made to his partner over text messages.

The authorities also said that the DNA found on the weapon that killed Kirk matched that of Robinson.

Meanwhile, Vance said on Monday he was “desperate” for national unity.

However, the US vice president also said that people who celebrate Kirk's killing need to be reported and held accountable.

"Call them out, and hell, call their employer," Vance said. "We don't believe in political violence, but we do believe in civility."