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OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
2:13 PM – Saturday, September 20, 2025
An armed man dressed as law enforcement was arrested outside of State Farm Stadium in Arizona, where a memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk is set to take place on Sunday.
Joshua Runkles, 42, was taken into custody on Friday afternoon, two days before the funeral service. He was booked into Maricopa County Jail, then released on bond.
The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) said in a statement that a man was “observed exhibiting suspicious behavior” at the NFL stadium. When agents approached Runkles, he told them he was a member of law enforcement and was armed. The USSS said he carried a knife and a gun.
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The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) said that the man was not a member of law enforcement.
Runkles was charged on Saturday with impersonating a law enforcement officer, which is a felony, and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place, which is a misdemeanor, according to a spokesman for the Arizona DPS.
“An investigation is ongoing to determine his intent and purpose at the stadium,” the spokesman said.
A senior Department of Homeland Security official said that the memorial service for the assassinated founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) is designated as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event. This designation is for “significant events with national and/or international importance that require extensive federal interagency support,” such as the Super Bowl.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are among those planning to speak at the funeral service, along with Kirk’s wife, Erika, who was recently named as TPUSA’s new CEO in place of her husband.
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