According to a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit co-founded by Kirk, the man was not "attempting anything nefarious."
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Secret Service: NC man was armed, impersonated law enforcement at Charlie Kirk memorial service site in Arizona
By WRAL staff
A Moore County man arrested Friday and accused of impersonating law enforcement was performing a security check at the memorial service for Charlie Kirk in Arizona, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA said.
According to Secret Service, the man was "exhibiting suspicious behavior." The man was later identified as 42-year-old Joshua Runkles of Cameron, North Carolina.
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Authorities arrested Runkles and charged him with impersonating a law enforcement officer and carrying a weapon into a protected place.
Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while at an event hosted by TPUSA at Utah Valley University. Authorities arrested 22-year old Tyler Robinson and charged him with killing Kirk.
Court documents said Runkles was approached by a member of the security detail around 12:15 p.m. Friday at State Farm Stadium. When asked why he was their, Runkles said he was working as the security detail through TPUSA.
Court documents said Runkles presented a Franklin County Sheriff's Office badge and and an Idaho Law Enforcement ID card when security at the stadium asked him for identification. Security told Runkles that he was not allowed on the property with a weapon and he would need to contact representatives with TPUSA to make sure he was allowed on the property.
Just over an hour and a half later, Secret Service agents encountered Runkle near the elevators on the club level of State Farm Stadium and detained him after learning he was armed.
Runkles has since been released on bond.
In a statement on X, Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for TPUSA, said Runkles was at the stadium performing "advanced security" for a known guest attending the service. Kolvet did not say who the guest was.
"We do not believe this person was attempting anything nefarious, however the advnace was not done in proper coordination with the TPUSA security team or U.S. Security," Kolvet said, adding that the incident happened before State Farm Stadium was locked down for the memorial service.
"Every precaution is being taking to ensure everyone's safety," Kolvet said.
The memorial is anticipated to have security levels on par with the Super Bowl, as both President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance are both expected to be in attendance for the memorial, which will reportedly have more than 100,000 people in attendance.
The memorial is expected to start around 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
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