We are all still reeling from the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk yesterday. In life, he was a tremendous presence. In death, his words carry even more weight and volume.

It is significant that official confirmation of Charlie Kirk’s death came directly from President Trump himself via Truth Social, followed by the ordering of flags to half staff until Sunday evening. President Trump also paid tribute to Charlie Kirk in an Oval Office address that left no one in doubt of how much the president valued him.

Today, at a 9/11 memorial gathering at the Pentagon, President Trump announced that Charlie Kirk would posthumously recieve the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

"I am pleased to announce that I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk, posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom." – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/RGdyImmNJZ

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 11, 2025

While all of these tributes are meaningful on an official level, Vice President JD Vance (who also offered up his own heartfelt tribute to Charlie Kirk on X yesterday), is doing something very personal and kind for the Kirk family, which is also paying great honor to Charlie and his work.

News: Charlie Kirk's body will be flown on Air Force Two to his hometown in Arizona, sources tell @CBSNews. @VP Vance flew to Salt Lake City today to retrieve the casket, which will be flown on the vice presidential aircraft to Phoenix, I'm told. Kirk’s family and some of his…

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 11, 2025

Second Lady Usha Vance will also be along for this trip from Salt Lake City to Phoenix. While I am sure that Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA could have handled the arrangements to bring Charlie’s body home (it is still so surreal to write that), the support and kindness of the Vice President and Second Lady will undoubtedly be of great comfort to the family at this moment.

But, as we honor and remember Charlie Kirk, it cannot be forgotten that there is an active manhunt for his murderer. After two people of interest were questioned and released yesterday, there were expectations that the FBI would have progressed with the investigation by today. This morning, it was announced that a rifle had been discovered in a wooded area near the college campus, with Steven Crowder, followed by the Wall Street Journal, reporting that motive may be engraved right on the cartridges.

A rifle recovered in the hunt for conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s assassin contained ammo engraved with “transgender and anti-fascist ideology,” according to preliminary reports from law enforcement sources.

The weapon — an imported .30-06-caliber Mauser bolt-action rifle — was discovered wrapped in a towel by investigators in a wooded area following the killing of the conservative leading light, who was shot once while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, according to the memo.

A source familiar noted that the Justice Department is investigating the descriptions alleged in the ATF memo, but that the agency was unable to confirm that the description matched the evidence recovered at the scene.

With the potential murder weapon discovered, the hunt still continues for the killer. The FBI has now released surveillance video images of a person of interest.

We are asking for the public's help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
1-800-CALL-FBI
Digital media tips: https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc

— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) September 11, 2025

There is also a $100,000 reward for information leading to the killer’s arrest. Forensic evidence has also been collected from the location that the assassin apparently used as a “sniper’s nest” on the rooftop of a campus building. There was going to be an update from law enforcement about the investigation that has been postponed at the moment due to “rapid developments.” One can only hope that the dragnet is closing around the killer as quickly as possible.

There will be more posts and more tributes paid to Charlie Kirk as time passes. But in the midst of all this, there is a wife who is now a widow, and a little girl and a toddler boy that are now fatherless. The hole that has been ripped into their lives will eventually turn into a scar that will never go away. Nothing can ever fill the void of loss for his family. No amount of honors paid can replace their husband and father. Keep them in your prayers, because they will need them for a long, long time.

Featured image: Charlie Kirk in August 2024, cropped, by Gage Skidmore on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0