An armed man was detained on Friday during a memorial event for the late Charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative activist, in Arizona. He has since been charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer.
35-year-old Joshua Runkles was intercepted by law enforcement at the State Farm Stadium, Glendale, during the event after he began to display suspicious behavior, according to an Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesperson.
Initially approached by the Secret Service, Runkles reportedly claimed he was part of the police force and stated he was armed. This led to serious legal consequences.
# Charlie Kirk’s Funeral Viewing Options
He now faces charges for impersonating a police officer, which is a felony, as well as illegally carrying a weapon in a restricted area, a misdemeanor. Following his arrest, Runkles was taken to Maricopa County Jail, where he was later released on bond.
A representative from Turning Point USA, the organization associated with Kirk, indicated on social media that Runkles was merely providing security for a guest attending the memorial service and emphasized that they don’t believe he had any malicious intentions. However, they acknowledged that his actions weren’t properly coordinated with either TPUSA or the Secret Service.
An ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Arizona authorities.
The memorial event for Kirk, who tragically passed away in Utah last week, is scheduled for Sunday and will feature extensive security, comparable to Super-Bowl events, due to being classified as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 occurrence.
Notable figures such as President Trump and Vice President Vance are set to deliver remarks at the service. Meanwhile, federal agents are currently monitoring several unspecified threats against those planning to attend.
In a related incident concerning Kirk’s death, law enforcement has identified Tyler Robinson, 22, as the suspect behind the shooting, with Utah officials pursuing the death penalty.
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