The memorial service has officially begun, starting with a bagpipe rendition of Amazing Grace.

The memorial service is set to begin in the next few minutes.

As we've mentioned earlier, there have already been some music acts ahead of the official start - you can see the scenes inside the stadium below.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Angelica Casas
Reporting from the memorial

Emory is a college freshman at Georgia State University who says she was drawn to Kirk because faith is a “huge part” of her life.

“It’s important for me to get to enjoy my faith and spread the Gospel.”

As we’re speaking, she points towards the arena stage, excited about one of the praise and worship songs the band has started playing.

“This proves (Kirk) can still bring people together even though he’s not here anymore."

Arunoday Mukharji
Reporting from outside the memorial

As thousands queue to get into the venue from the early hours of Sunday, they're greeted from time to time by Charlie Kirk’s voice.

Some of his old speeches are being replayed on loudspeakers from a truck that moves slowly through the traffic.

The truck is painted with graffiti praising Donald Trump.

I've spotted people wearing clothes in the colours of the American flag, MAGA hats, and some carrying posters with religious slogans or photos of Charlie Kirk.

It’s a huge display of support by followers of the late conservative commentator.

The scale of the gathering is really striking - even though the organisation he founded, Turning Point USA, is headquartered in Arizona, there are supporters here from many other states.

Those entering the stadium haven’t been allowed to bring in any bags for security reasons.

Many bags, rubbish and portable chairs are seen left outside.

In the clip below, you can see security staff checking through the items that have been left behind.

You can now watch our latest coverage of the memorial by clicking Watch live above.

We'll also be covering the memorial here, with reports from our team at the stadium - stay with us.

Arunoday Mukharji
Reporting from outside the memorial

Juan and Stephanie Flores have come from Tennessee to attend Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.

Their friends have joined them from California, and they’ve been standing in line since 06:00 local time this morning, trying to get in to the venue.

"We’ve given up now, there are just so many people," says Stephanie. "There are people who’ve been here since three and four in the morning."

"It’s frustrating because there are no orderly lines," she adds.

But she’s not upset - pointing to the huge crowds behind her, Stephanie says: "I’m encouraged to see how many people have come here to honour Charlie Kirk, look at all the young people, they all love God."

The stadium is steadily filling up ahead of the official start of today's memorial in just under two hours.

In the latest set of images we've received, people appear to be singing as they wait.

Musicians have been performing live ahead of today's speakers.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Governor of Utah via Getty Images

"We got him," Utah Governor Spencer Cox said during a news conference as he announced the suspect in Charlie Kirk's killing had been caught.

Here's a reminder of the events leading to 22-year-old Tyler Robinson's capture:

• At 12:23 local time (19:23 BST) on Wednesday 10 September, Charlie Kirk was shot while addressing students at a college event at Utah Valley University, which was attended by around 3,000 people
• Within 16 minutes, the first FBI agents had arrived and secured the scene
• The first set of photos of the suspect was released the following day
• Additional images and footage were then released showing the suspect walking on the roof of a building from where the shot was believed to have been fired, before climbing down and heading to a wooded area
• Investigators said a weapon was found nearby
• Tyler Robinson was taken into custody by police following a 33-hour manhunt which ended after he was persuaded to surrender by his father
• Robinson appeared in court on Tuesday charged with aggravated murder, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty

You can read more here on how the 33-hour manhunt ended.

As attendees are arriving at the venue, let's take a moment to look back at how this all started.

Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during an open-air event at Utah Valley University.

At the time the shot was fired, he was sitting under a white gazebo in front of a crowd of around 3,000 people in the university's quad.

The shot is believed to have been fired from the roof of the Losee Center - a building overlooking the area.

The FBI later said they found a high-powered firearm - an imported Mauser .30-06 bolt action rifle - wrapped in a towel in a wooded area.

In the maps below, we've marked out how these positions relate to each other.

The airspace around the stadium is under a temporary flight restriction today, according to FBI Phoenix.

Any drone operators who enter the restricted area without permission could risk having their drones confiscated, face fines or even criminal prosecution.

Today's event is set to begin in just over a couple of hours - but the stadium is already filling up quickly.

Earlier, we saw crowds waiting outside the venue - many have now gone inside and taken their seats, where a band is playing.

In the images below, you can see a photo of Charlie and his wife Erika displayed at the venue, as well as a man wearing a red cap with the word "Kirk" - designed in a style similar to Trump's "Make America Great Again" caps.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The son of an architect who grew up in the well-to-do Chicago suburb of Prospect Heights, Kirk attended an Illinois community college before dropping out to devote himself to political activism.

He also applied unsuccessfully for West Point, the elite US military academy. Kirk often referred tongue-in-cheek to his lack of a college degree when debating students and academics on esoteric topics such as post-modernism.

He was an avid public speaker, touring the country addressing Republican events, many of which were popular with members of the ultra-conservative Tea Party movement, and his daily talk radio show had millions of followers on social media.

Turning Point, which he started at age 18, aimed to spread conservative ideals at liberal-leaning US colleges.

The event at Utah Valley University, where he was gunned down, was the first stop on a planned 15-event "American Comeback Tour" of college campuses, where attendees were invited to argue with Kirk.

• Read more about Kirk and his life in our profile

America is at a dangerous crossroadspublished at 16:50 BST 21 September

16:50 BST 21 September

Katty Kay
US special correspondent

After one of the most searing assassinations in US history, the governor of Utah pleaded for Americans to turn down the political temperature.

But hardly anyone that I've spoken to since Charlie Kirk's death thinks that will be the path the country will choose. Not any time soon, at least.

Recent history is full of examples where America has chosen not to come together after a tragedy.

It did not happen 14 years ago after a Democratic congresswoman was shot in the head in Arizona.

Nor eight years ago, when a Republican congressman was shot during baseball practice.

The reason is simple, yet hard to change. The incentives that fuel American political life reward the people and platforms that turn up the heat, not those who dial tensions down.

• Read Katty Kay's full piece here

Image source, Reuters

We've just heard from Trump again - this time in a prerecorded interview broadcast on Fox News.

Trump describes how Kirk helped him secure the votes of younger Americans, and later goes on to strongly criticise some Democrats who voted against a resolution in the House of Representatives honouring the life of Kirk and condemning his shooting.

"It tells you that they're deranged, they're sick in so many different ways," Trump says.

The Republican-controlled chamber voted 310-58 to approve the resolution last week. Ninety-five Democrats voted in support, 58 Democrats opposed it, 38 voted present and 22 did not vote.

Some Democrats who opposed the resolution accuse the Republicans of putting forward a partisan resolution that they argued honoured Kirk in a way that was at odds with their negative view of statements and positions he had put forward.

Image source, Reuters

Today's event has got strict security measures in place, including "TSA-level screening" - that's airport-level security - organisers have said.

A senior Department of Homeland Security official told CBS that the memorial service has the same security designation as major events like the Super Bowl.

Organiser Turning Point USA (TPUSA) has also advised that, because of the security, there may be longer wait times than usual. TPUSA has asked attendees not to bring any bags, as they won't be allowed in.

We've got more on this in our news story.

Image source, Turning Point USA

The memorial service won't start until 11:00 local time (19:00 BST), but those already inside the stadium are watching live music, with a band and singer performing on the front stage.

The stadium seats seem to be filling up quickly, with lots of people wearing the colours that Turning Point USA asked them to - red, white and blue.

Image source, Reuters

Vice-President JD Vance is among those due to speak at today's event.

"Last week, we brought my dear friend Charlie Kirk home one last time," he writes in a post on X. "Today, we return to Arizona to remember Charlie and honour his sacrifice. May he eternally rest in peace, and may God watch over Erika and their beautiful children."

The comments are accompanied by a video showing Kirk's casket being transported to Arizona.

Angelica Casas
Reporting from the memorial

Crowds are starting to make their way into State Farm Stadium, as photos of Charlie Kirk play on the screens, along with a praise and worship playlist.

Groups dressed in red, white and blue - and some wearing Trump Maga caps - are running in, cheering after hours of standing in queues outside waiting to get in.

We've just had the first images in from inside the stadium being used for today's event.

American flags have been draped on either side of screens reading "Remembering Charlie Kirk 1993- 2025".

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA