Armed Man Arrested at Kirk Memorial Site

A man claiming to be a member of law enforcement was detained at an Arizona stadium where the memorial for Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was shot and killed last week, is set to take place Sunday.

Local police and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the armed man, who was “exhibiting suspicious behavior” near State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. A memorial service honoring Kirk, who was assassinated last week in Utah, is being held at the stadium which houses the Arizona Cardinals.

The Secret Service approached the individual who said that he was a member of law enforcement.

“The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event,” the Secret Service told NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network, in a statement, adding that authorities “are investigating the circumstances as to why he was at the location.”

On Saturday, police identified the man as Joshua Runkles, 42, who was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer, a felony, and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place, a misdemeanor, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said.

He was booked into the Maricopa County Jail, but has been released on bond.

The forthcoming memorial for Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, will have Super-Bowl-level security measures, as the event was designated a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event.

President Trump, Vice President Vance and other administration officials are expected to speak at the funeral service on Sunday morning. The NFL stadium can hold more than 63,000 people.

Federal authorities said Friday that they are tracking “several threats of unknown credibility” against people planning to attend the service.

Utah authorities are seeking the death penalty against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old charged in the fatal shooting of Kirk, who was a staunch Trump ally. Robinson turned himself in a day after the shooting at Utah Valley University.

The incident has sparked concerns about the rise of political violence and the protection of First Amendment rights, including freedom of speech online.