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Usha Vance Comforts Erika Kirk as Her Husband’s Casket Arrives in Arizona [WATCH]

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The casket of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk arrived [1] in Arizona on Thursday, where family and close friends accompanied his final return from Utah aboard Air Force Two.

Second Lady Usha Vance held hands with Kirk’s widow, Erika, as they deplaned the aircraft in Phoenix.

Both women were dressed in black and wore sunglasses while walking side by side down the stairs.

Vice President J.D. Vance followed closely behind. Witnesses described Usha guiding Erika, at one point placing her arm around her, before they descended together.

Kirk’s two young children and his parents, who were present when the 31-year-old was killed in Orem, Utah, were also on board.

National Guard members carried Kirk’s mahogany casket on and off the plane.

Funeral services are scheduled for next week. President Donald Trump confirmed he will attend.

“I have spoken with Erika, and she is devastated, absolutely devastated,” Trump told reporters.

Vice President Vance also issued a tribute, calling Kirk “a true friend” and “the kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him.”

Kirk was fatally shot on Wednesday afternoon while speaking before more than 3,000 people at Utah Valley University.

The bullet struck him in the neck as he responded to a question about mass shootings.

Authorities said the shot is believed to have come from the roof of the Losee Center on campus, about 200 feet from where Kirk was seated under a tent.

FORT WASHINGTON, MD / USA – February 26 2020: Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA speaking to attendees at CPAC 2020

Witnesses said panic broke out as blood poured from his wound and audience members rushed to escape. Kirk was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead.

Law enforcement has released images of a person of interest described as college-aged with a slim build.

The individual was last seen wearing a snapback hat with sunglasses, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt featuring an eagle over an American flag with the phrase “Land of the Free… Home of the Brave.”

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason confirmed investigators are limiting details but noted, “They appear to be of college age. We’re not releasing many details right now. We will soon. But right now, we’re not.”

On Thursday night, the FBI released security footage showing the suspect leaping from a rooftop and fleeing.

Officials said a bolt-action rifle was later found in a wooded area near campus. The Bureau is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Sources told the Wall Street Journal that investigators recovered bullets from a Mauser rifle engraved with “transgender and antifascist ideology.”

The rifle was wrapped in a towel, and one spent cartridge remained in the chamber. Three additional rounds were found in the magazine, each reportedly inscribed with messages that have not yet been disclosed.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox said more than 200 people have been interviewed as part of the investigation.

“I just want to remind people that we still have the death penalty here in the state of Utah,” Cox said at a press conference, calling the shooting politically motivated.

President Trump condemned the rhetoric that he argued led to Kirk’s assassination.

In a Truth Social post, he wrote, “For years, those on the radical Left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today and it must stop right now.”

Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, building it into a national student movement with a presence on campuses across the United States.

He frequently visited the White House during Trump’s presidency and launched his American Comeback Tour this fall, with Utah Valley University as the first stop.

On Thursday, Trump announced Kirk will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “I can only guarantee you one thing — that we will have a very big crowd. Very, very big,” Trump said during remarks at the Pentagon.

“I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on.”

This morning, President Trump confirmed the suspect was arrested.

“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we HAVE HIM, in custody. Everyone did a great job.”