Armed man detained at stadium where Charlie Kirk's memorial service will be held Sudiksha Kochi and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY September 21, 2025 at 2:47 AM 1 WASHINGTON – An armed man was detained and charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer at the stadium where conservative activist C...
- - Armed man detained at stadium where Charlie Kirk's memorial service will be held
Sudiksha Kochi and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY September 21, 2025 at 2:47 AM
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WASHINGTON – An armed man was detained and charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer at the stadium where conservative activist Charlie Kirk's high-profile memorial service is set to take place this weekend.
The man, identified as 42-year-old Joshua Runkles, was "exhibiting suspicious behavior" at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sept. 19, according to Bart Graves, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
Runkles was initially approached by the Secret Service and said that he was a law enforcement officer and was armed, according to Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the Secret Service.
"The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody," Guglielmi said.
1 / 22Charlie Kirk remembered in memorials: Conservative activist was shot while speaking in UtahSupporters visit a memorial for Charlie Kirk at the Turning Point Headquarters in Phoenix on Sept. 11, 2025.
Runkles was taken into custody by the department and booked into the Maricopa County Jail on charges of impersonating a law enforcement officer and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place, Groves said. He has since been released on bond.
Secret Service and local law enforcement are investigating why Runkles was at the stadium, Guglielmi said.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot Sept. 10 while speaking in front of a crowd of people as part of his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other high-ranking Trump administration officials are expected to attend his memorial service.
Charlie Kirk's memorial Sunday: Where to watch on TV and livestream
A drone view of State Farm Stadium as workers install a photo of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, ahead of a memorial service to be held for him on September 21, in Glendale, Arizona, U.S., September 19, 2025. REUTERS/Cheney Orr
The event is organized by Turning Point USA, the conservative activism organization Kirk co-founded. Kirk was a close political ally of Trump and the latter became a fixture and a keynote speaker at many Turning Point Action events.
Contributing: James Powel, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Armed man detained at the site of Charlie Kirk's memorial service
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