White House releases tribute video days before Charlie Kirk’s funeral The three-and-a-half-minute video features the remarks by his widow, Erika Kirk, when she spoke for the first time after he was assassinated in Utah on Sept. 10. There also are clips of the 31-year-old conservative activist giving speeches and media interviews, on his wedding day, […]
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White House releases tribute video days before Charlie Kirk’s funeral (VIDEO)
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White House releases tribute video days before Charlie Kirk’s funeral
The three-and-a-half-minute video features the remarks by his widow, Erika Kirk, when she spoke for the first time after he was assassinated in Utah on Sept. 10.
There also are clips of the 31-year-old conservative activist giving speeches and media interviews, on his wedding day, with his wife and two children and with Trump, along with scenes from memorials and vigils that have been held for him.
Kirk was one of Trump’s biggest supporters, and the president is expected to attend the funeral Sunday in Arizona.
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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The memorial for conservative icon Charlie Kirk will be held on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The 31-year-old Kirk — a confidant of President Donald Trump, and Salem Media talk show host — was fatally shot on September 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder and other crimes related to the shooting.
Here are a few things to know about the venue that will host Kirk’s memorial service:
Who uses State Farm Stadium?
State Farm Stadium is a multipurpose, retractable roof stadium that can hold up to 73,000 people for its largest events. It’s located in Glendale, which is a suburb just west of Phoenix.
Its most recognizable tenant is the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and the franchise has played at the facility since it opened in 2006. The Cardinals do not own the stadium and confirmed through spokesman Mark Dalton that the team was not involved in booking Kirk’s memorial service.
College football’s Fiesta Bowl is also played each year at the stadium.
The facility is owned by the Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority and operated by ASM Global, which handles events. AZSTA spokeswoman Kristen Pflipsen wrote in an email response that the Kirk memorial is a “paid, private, contracted event. As with all private events, we do not release specific contract information.”
Why is the event at State Farm Stadium?
The stadium is the largest facility in the Phoenix metropolitan area and also has air conditioning, which is useful in the Sonoran Desert where the temperature routinely tops 100 degrees Fahrenheit, even in late September.
Kirk also has ties to Arizona. His conservative organization Turning Point USA is based in Phoenix and Kirk lived in the area.
The Cardinals will not be in Glendale on Sunday, instead playing in California against the San Francisco 49ers. That left the stadium available for rental on short notice.
PHOTO- AP