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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 taking place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, which can hold up to 73,000 people. Additional overflow areas have been established to manage the large expected audience.
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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1:45PM – President, Vice President set to arrive
Air Force One, with President Donald Trump aboard, and Air Force Two, carrying Vice President Vance, are anticipated to arrive shortly. The Secret Service and police will clear the roads to ensure their smooth journey to the event.
12:30PM -Overflow areas are opening
According to KPNX, overflow areas are starting to open. Glendale police have informed the station that the stadium has reached full capacity, and attendees will be directed to the designated overflow areas.
12:10PM – Crowds could top 200,000, police say
The Glendale Police Department stated on Sunday that the memorial service for the conservative activist, who was tragically killed, could attract over 200,000 attendees, doubling the initial estimate of 100,000. This turnout would greatly exceed the capacity of both 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
Although the stadium doors were initially scheduled to open at 11 a.m., live footage from inside shows that people have already started to take their seats.
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 tragically shot on Wednesday, Sept. 10, while delivering a speech at Utah Valley University. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been arrested in connection with the shooting.
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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