Security preparations for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, reached a new level of urgency Friday after federal agents detained an armed man inside State Farm Stadium. The stadium, which will host Sunday’s service attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, was placed under heavy scrutiny following the incident.
As Fox News reported:
“An armed man who claimed to be connected to law enforcement was detained Friday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the Secret Service told Fox News Digital.”
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the agency acted quickly after spotting the suspect:
https://twitter.com/MattFinnFNC/status/1969416460218089629
“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.”
Fox News further noted:
“The individual, who has not been publicly identified, actually was armed, Guglielmi confirmed to Fox News Digital. ‘The U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement are investigating the circumstances as to why he was at the location.’”
According to federal sources cited in the coverage, the man was a former deputy sheriff from Idaho who presented expired credentials.
The Daily Mail added more disturbing details:
“An armed man claiming to be law enforcement has been detained at the site of Charlie Kirk’s memorial in Arizona. The ‘suspicious’ individual was carrying a gun and a knife when he was apprehended at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Friday.”
The Daily Mail report also emphasized that authorities are “tracking several threats of unknown credibility” in the run-up to the service, which has been designated a Level 1 Special Event by the Department of Homeland Security, a classification typically reserved for the Super Bowl or presidential inaugurations.
Officials are preparing for a massive gathering, with more than 63,000 attendees expected and a full roster of national political leaders, including Trump, Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Marco Rubio, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, and Tucker Carlson, among others.
The memorial service, “Building a Legacy: Remembering Charlie Kirk,” comes just eleven days after Kirk was assassinated in Utah. His widow, Erika Kirk, will also speak, having vowed to carry forward her husband’s mission.
In the Secret Service statement, Glendale Police Chief said his department is deploying “every available resource” for Sunday, with bomb squads and tactical units on standby. After Friday’s arrest, the stakes could not be clearer: authorities are racing to ensure that mourners can gather safely to honor Charlie Kirk’s life and legacy.
UPDATE: The suspect has been named:
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY