JD Vance en route to Utah, to meet Charlie Kirk’s family after deadly shooting

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) —  Vice-President JD Vance is en route to Utah a day after Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA and conservative influencer, was shot and killed at an event at Utah Valley University.

Sources tell ABC4 that he will be coming to Utah with his wife to support her as she deals with the unthinkable loss and will escort the transfer of her husband’s remains.

“I was in a meeting in the West Wing when those group chats started lighting up with people telling Charlie they were praying for him. And that’s how I learned the news that my friend had been shot,” Vance said.

On Thursday morning, an FBI Special Agent and a DPS Commissioner said they have recovered a weapon that was allegedly used in the shooting and found camera footage that follows the individual’s path onto a nearby roof where he is believed to have fire the single shot, killing Kirk.

On a post on social media, Vance said he has known Kirk since 2017 and he was one of the first people he called about running for the Senate in 2021. “I was interested but skeptical there was a pathway. We talked through everything, from the strategy to the fundraising to the grassroots of the movement he knew so well. He introduced me to some of the people who would run my campaign and also to Donald Trump Jr,” Vance said.

“When I became the VP nominee–something Charlie advocated for both in public and private–Charlie was there for me. I was so glad to be part of the president’s team, but candidly surprised by the effect it had on our family. Our kids, especially our oldest, struggled with the attention and the constant presence of the protective detail,” Vance continued.

The Vice-President went on to add that Kirk was a doer and loved Jesus Christ. “Someone else pointed out that Charlie died doing what he loved: discussing ideas. He would go into these hostile crowds and answer their questions.”

Kirk was appearing for the American Comeback Tour hosted by the Turning Point USA chapter at UVU. The event was being held at 12 p.m. in the UVU Courtyard.

“Charlie Kirk was a true friend. The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him,” Vance continued. “And now that Charlie is in heaven, I’ll ask him to talk to big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly.”