OREM, Utah () Police are ramping up security similar to the Super Bowl-level measures ahead of the funeral for conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The public will have access to the service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, located just outside of Phoenix. President Donald Trump, along with members of his administration, is anticipated to be in attendance. The venue, which can hold over 63,000 people, will be protected by both local and state law enforcement in collaboration with the U.S. Secret Service.
The Glendale Police Department has announced the deployment of several hundred additional officers, drone operators, and a sophisticated real-time crime center to oversee the stadium’s perimeter.
The last time State Farm Stadium implemented such measures was during Super Bowl LVII in 2023.
President Trump to speak at Kirk’s funeral
Notable attendees will include former Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks, as is Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk. A court has also granted an indefinite protective order for her and her family.
Turning Point USA sees surge in new membership requests
Kirk, a co-founder of Turning Point USA and a Trump ally, will be laid to rest in the Phoenix suburb, which hosts the headquarters of his life’s work.
Turning Point has seen a significant increase in new membership requests. In the six days following Kirk’s passing, the organization reports receiving over 54,000 applications from high school and college students across the nation seeking to establish or join a chapter at their schools.
Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at an event in a campus courtyard. He was widely praised for energizing young Republican voters and significantly contributing to Trump’s 2024 presidential win.
Kirk’s accused killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, remains in county jail, held without bail. Prosecutors have charged Robinson with seven separate counts and confirmed they would seek the death penalty.
