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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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An armed man was detained at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Friday, where Charlie Kirk's memorial service is set to take place on Sunday, after falsely claiming to be a member of law enforcement, according to the United States Secret Service.
Why It Matters
Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of conservative campaign group Turning Point USA, was shot dead on September 10 while addressing students at the Utah Valley University campus in Orem.
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The killing sparked fresh fears about political violence in the U.S. after President Donald Trump, then the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July 2024.
According to prosecutors, Trump survived a second attempt two months later in September 2024 and 59-year-old Ryan Routh has been charged over the incident. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
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What To Know
The Secret Service said on Friday that an armed man had been arrested after "exhibiting suspicious behavior" at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale. The venue is due to host Kirk's memorial service on Sunday, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance expected to attend along with other senior officials.
According to The New York Times, which cited "a law enforcement official familiar with the matter," the man was detained with at least one gun and a knife and had presented "inactive law enforcement credentials" to authorities. The newspaper reported the man said he was at the stadium as a private security guard, though no authorization for this has been found.
Sunday's service has been given a Level 1 Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) by the Department of Homeland Security, a top designation that gives the federal government sweeping powers to enforce security around the venue.
Police have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and other offenses over Kirk's assassination and prosecutors have announced they will seek the death penalty.
According to Trump, Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, has indicated she plans to continue running Turning Point USA.
What People Are Saying
In a statement provided to Newsweek, the Secret Service said: "The U.S. Secret Service in coordination with local law enforcement in Glendale, Arizona, is investigating an individual who was observed exhibiting suspicious behavior at State Farm Stadium.
"The individual was approached by Secret Service and stated during the encounter that he was a member of law enforcement and that he was armed. The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody. The U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement are investigating the circumstances as to why he was at the location."
Speaking to British newspaper The Sun, conservative commentator Jack Posobiec said Kirk's memorial on Sunday would be "bigger than a Super Bowl."
What Happens Next?
Sunday's memorial service for Kirk will be attended by family, friends and dignitaries from across the American conservative movement.
Update 9/22/25, 5:11 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to include a statement from the Secret Service.
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