An armed man was arrested at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday after exhibiting suspicious behavior. This incident occurred just two days before a significant memorial event for Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was assassinated.
The event is set to take place on Sunday and will feature notable speakers including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. The gathering aims to honor Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA at a young age.
According to the U.S. Secret Service, the man approached them claiming to be law enforcement and stated that he was armed. However, he was not authorized to be at the event. A source revealed that the man is a former deputy sheriff from Idaho and was using expired credentials. Authorities are currently investigating his background to understand his intentions.
The Department of Homeland Security has classified the memorial service as a Special Event Assessment Rating Level 1 event, which means it will have heightened security similar to that of a Super Bowl. This designation allows the federal government to deploy extensive law enforcement and security resources to ensure safety during the event.
The memorial is expected to draw a large crowd, with estimates suggesting tens of thousands of attendees, potentially exceeding the stadium’s capacity of just over 63,000 seats. The Daily Wire plans to stream the event live at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, making it accessible to a wider audience.
As the community prepares to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk, the incident with the armed man has raised concerns about security at high-profile events, highlighting the importance of vigilance in ensuring public safety.
