An armed man claiming to be connected to law enforcement was detained Friday after entering the Arizona stadium where conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial service is scheduled to take place Sunday, according to the Secret Service.
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several Cabinet members are scheduled to speak at the service, with tight security measures in place.
Kirk was a close adviser to the White House, and Trump credits him with bolstering the youth vote in the 2024 election campaign.
The man, who was not named, entered State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and was observed “exhibiting suspicious behavior,” a statement released late Friday said.
When Secret Service agents approached him, he claimed to be a member of law enforcement and said he was armed.
“The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody,” the service said, adding that he had not been arrested as of late Friday night.
“The U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement are investigating the circumstances as to why he was at the location.”
The man had at least one gun and one knife when he was stopped, The Washington Post reports, citing a law enforcement official familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
He also showed “inactive law enforcement credentials” and told Secret Service agents he was there to provide private security, the official added.
The man was “doing advance security for a known guest planning to attend the memorial service tomorrow,” Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, wrote on X.
“We do not believe this person was attempting anything nefarious, however the advance was not done in proper coordination with the TPUSA security team or US Secret Service,” Kolvet said. “Also important to note that this was before the site had been fully sealed and locked down. Every precaution is being taken to ensure everyone’s safety.”
The Department of Homeland Security has designated Kirk’s memorial a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event. This allows the federal government to assign it sweeping security resources, on the same level as events such as the Super Bowl, which has previously been held at the same stadium.
Those wishing to attend Sunday’s memorial are subject to stringent security checks. Absolutely no bags of any kind will be permitted.
According to the official, Secret Service teams have been on the ground for several days coordinating security with other federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
A security perimeter will be put in place around the stadium on Saturday.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Tyler Robinson, 22, was detained late the next day after handing himself in.
