The armed individual proclaiming to be a law enforcement officer at the Charlie Kirk memorial site in Arizona has been identified as Joshua Runkles by authorities.
The 42-year-old was discovered carrying two guns and knives when apprehended at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Friday, as detailed in a probable cause statement filed in court and obtained by Fox News.
At approximately 12:15 pm, an officer from the Arizona Department of Public Safety encountered Runkles, who asserted he was collaborating with a security detail through Turning Point USA, according to the court document.
When requested to identify himself, Runkles allegedly exhibited a badge from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and an Idaho law enforcement identification card.
Documents indicate that after officers queried if Runkles was armed, he affirmed, leading personnel to deny him entry at the gate, advising him to contact representatives with Turning Point USA if he sought admission.
At roughly 2:00pm, Runkles was seen inside the stadium, according to the probable cause statement. It’s unclear at this time how he gained access.
He was then arrested and was caught with ‘a loaded pistol, a revolver and several knives’, police said.
Authorities confirmed his law enforcement identification badge and ID card were inactive, and he was no longer employed by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, as stated by the police.
Pictured: Joshua Runkles, 42, has been identified as the man who allegedly impersonated a police officer at the site of the Charlie Kirk memorial in Arizona
Runkles was detained on Friday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, which is set to host Kirk’s memorial service on Sunday, September 21
He has been charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.
Runkles was released on bond around 10am on Saturday, Arizona police told the Daily Mail.
It comes as officials are, ‘tracking several threats of unknown credibility’ ahead of the high-profile event on Sunday, per ABC News.
Kirk, 31, was shot dead on September 10 in front of crowds of students and supporters at Utah Valley University while on his ‘American Comeback’ tour.
The Department of Homeland Security has designated his memorial service as a Level 1 Special Event, the highest possible rating.
It will feature speakers such as President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
The service, called ‘Building a Legacy: Remembering Charlie Kirk’, is due to begin at 11am local time, with doors open from 8am.
Guests are asked to don their ‘Sunday best’, wearing red, white and blue for the United States.
‘This event is first come, first served based on stadium capacity,’ according to the event’s website.
Speakers at the service will include his widow, Erika Kirk (left), President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance
Trump is said to have personally requested the 63,000-capacity home of the Arizona Cardinals to welcome mourners travelling from across the country.
All guests will be screened with metal detectors upon entry, and patted down as a last resort. Those who do not consent will be denied entry, officials said.
Alcohol, weapons, fireworks, drones, bags and clothing deemed obscene or indecent are all among the long list of prohibited items.
The stadium, home to the NFL Arizona Cardinals, has seating for 63,400 people and can expand to over 73,000 for larger events.
Trump is said to have personally requested the 63,000-capacity home of the Arizona Cardinals to welcome mourners travelling from across the country.
As of Friday, the full list of speakers included Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, Trump and Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump Jr. Tucker Carslon, White House advisor Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor.
Christian singers such as Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Kari Jobe Carnes and Cody Carnes are also set to perform at the service.
Local law enforcement have said their preparations are on a level usually reserved for major sporting events like the Super Bowl.
Glendale’s police chief said his department is deploying ‘every available resource’, bolstered by reinforcements from neighboring jurisdictions.
Bomb squads and tactical units will also be on standby for the event.
Kirk is set to be laid to rest in Phoenix, Arizona. The state is where Kirk lived with is wife, 36, and their two children before his death.
His casket was flown from Utah to Arizona aboard Air Force Two on Thursday, accompanied by JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance, and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.
Pictured: Charlie Kirk speaks before he is shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University
Trump was close with Kirk and credits the conservative political activist with much of his political success in the 2024 election
Suspect Tyler Robinson appeared by video link for the first court hearing on September 17
The service is being organized by Turning Point USA, which was co-founded by Kirk when he was a teenager in 2012. His wife, Erika, took on the role of CEO and Chair of the Board following his passing.
The non-profit, which advocates for conservative politics on American campuses, invited fans to celebrate Kirk, ‘an American legend,’ and his ‘remarkable life and enduring legacy.’
Kirk’s death has prompted fierce political debate around upholding free speech and the threat of political violence to American democracy.
His suspected killer Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody on September 12 and appeared in court for the first time by video link on September 17.
Robinson faces seven charges, including aggravated murder and witness tampering. He did not enter a plea to any of the charges on Wednesday.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty ‘based on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime’, they said in a court filing.
Erika Kirk, giving a tearful address after her husband was killed, said: ‘You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.
‘They should all know this: if you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world.’
She has vowed to continue Charlie Kirk’s mission, announcing that their campus tour will continue through autumn.
