Man caught with gun, knife inside Arizona stadium ahead of Charlie Kirk’s memorial

Man caught with gun, knife inside Arizona stadium ahead of Charlie Kirk’s memorial

Arizona authorities say a man was arrested after sneaking weapons into State Farm Stadium in Glendale, where late conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s memorial will be held on Sunday.

According to Fox News, the suspect, identified as Joshua Runkles, was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer — a felony — and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place, a misdemeanor. He was booked into Maricopa County Jail but later released on bond.

According to officials, Runkles was found with a gun and a knife inside the stadium before the security perimeter for the event had been set up. He allegedly presented himself as a private security agent, using expired law enforcement credentials.

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The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that he was not part of the official law enforcement assigned to the event. “He identified himself as law enforcement and said he was armed. The individual is not authorized,” a Secret Service spokesperson said.

The incident comes as security tightens for Sunday’s memorial, expected to draw nearly 100,000 people, with Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk among those scheduled to speak.

The Department of Homeland Security has rated the event as a Level 1 special security event, the same classification as a Super Bowl, due to its national significance.

Man caught with gun, knife inside Arizona stadium ahead of Charlie Kirk’s memorial