Police have arrested an armed individual at the memorial venue for Charlie Kirk, whose funeral will take place today (September 21) in Arizona.
U.S. officials report that over 100,000 people are expected to visit State Farm Stadium, Arizona, in a bid to attend the MAGA activist’s funeral later today.
The stadium has a capacity of 60,000, but people are expected to gather around the venue to pay their respects, as funeral-goers are being let in on a first-come, first-served basis.
Several high-profile figures and politicians, including President Donald Trump, are expected to be in attendance.
Attendees will see heightened security measures, likened to that of the Super Bowl, put in place throughout the venue, as an estimated $10 million has been spent to ensure the memorial is safe.
Security experts have noted that a stadium provides certain security advantages, given that everyone can be seen.
The stadium will open its doors at 8 a.m. ET for those attending, while the service is set to begin at 11 a.m.
But a 42-year-old armed man has been arrested by police at the memorial site, and has been charged with carrying a weapon into a prohibited place and impersonating a police officer.
He has been named as Joshua Runkles.
Officials have alleged that the man attempted disguise as police and presented ‘inactive law enforcement credentials,’ as he said he had been at the venue to provide security.
However, Kirk’s Turning Point USA group later issued a statement which claimed that Runkles had been at the stadium to provide ‘advance security for a known guest.’
The group added that they ‘do not believe this person was attempting anything nefarious.’
TPUSA noted that the 42-year-old’s attempts to scope out the venue for security purposes had not been properly coordinated with the U.S. Secret Service, who are present as Trump and Vice President JD Vance are expected to attend.
After a 33-hour manhunt following Kirk’s murder, the FBI revealed the identity of the alleged assassin on Friday (September 12) as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
The suspect is a Utah resident who was aware that the right-wing activist was coming to his state long before the shooting unfolded.
Robinson appeared for the first time in Utah County Court on September 16, via video link from his prison cell.
The alleged murderer faces seven charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent crime when children are present.
