Charlie Kirk’s casket arrived in Arizona on Thursday aboard Air Force Two, with vice president JD Vance and his wife Usha accompanying the conservative activist on his final flight home.

The plane landed in Phoenix after a short flight from Salt Lake City, around 64 kilometres from Orem, Utah, where Kirk was shot dead while speaking at Utah Valley University.

Images from the flight show Erika, dressed in black and holding her two young children, walking hand-in-hand with Usha Vance. The vice president and uniformed service members helped carry the flag-draped casket onto the plane.

Kirk and Vance had been friends for years, with their relationship beginning after Kirk reached out to compliment him following an appearance on Fox News. Last year, Kirk had publicly advocated for Vance to be Donald Trump’s choice for vice president and often checked in on his family. Vance described him as “a true friend,” in a social media post.

Kirk was shot in the neck about 20 minutes into the student-sponsored event, and despite being rushed to hospital, he later died from his injuries.