The armed man accused of bringing a gun and a knife into the Arizona stadium where conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s funeral will be held posed no threat and was merely conducting a security sweep ahead of Sunday’s services, Turning Point USA confirmed.
Joshua Runkles – arrested Friday inside State Farm Stadium for allegedly posing as a cop – was on site “doing advance security for a known guest” at the memorial, expected to draw more than 100,000 attendees, including VIPs such as President Trump.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
“We do not believe this person was attempting anything nefarious, however the advance was not done in proper coordination with the TPUSA security team or US Secret Service,” TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said on X Saturday.
“Also important to note that this was before the site had been fully sealed and locked down. Every precaution is being taken to ensure everyone’s safety.”
Kolvet did not identify the guest Runkles was providing security for.
Runkles, 42, was allegedly carrying a knife, a gun, and expired law enforcement credentials when he was nabbed inside the NFL stadium, home to the Arizona Cardinals, on Friday afternoon.
Here’s the latest on the Charlie Kirk shooting in Utah
- Police identified Tyler Robinson, 22, as the alleged assassin who fatally shot Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
- Robinson was charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice.
- Law enforcement confirmed that Robinson was living with a transgender roommate, and communications between the two helping the feds catch the alleged assassin.
- Kirk, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA creator, was attending an event on his American Comeback Tour when he was fatally shot in the neck by a single shot.
- President Trump was among many who have called for the assassin to receive the death penalty.
- Kirk’s body was brought to Arizona from Utah on Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance, and taken to Phoenix’s Hansen Mortuary Chapel.
- Kirk’s funeral, which President Trump has promised to attend, is scheduled for Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
- Kirk, a rising MAGA star, is survived by his wife and two young children.
He reportedly told Secret Service agents he was at the site to provide private security and handed them the faulty police badge and ID.
Runkles was booked into Maricopa County Jail for impersonating a law enforcement officer and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place.
He was later released on an unspecified bond, but an investigation is ongoing to determine his reason for being at the stadium, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Public Safety told The Post.
Runkles, who holds a concealed carry permit in North Carolina, is a former Idaho deputy sheriff, a federal source told Fox News Digital.
However, court documents obtained by the outlet stated the Runkles is not associated with or employed by the sheriff’s office, despite what the bad and ID card suggested.
Three U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in camouflage uniforms standing in front of State Farm Stadium. Aristide Economopoulos
The “Building a Legacy: Remembering Charlie Kirk” memorial will be held Sunday – more than a week after the right wing influencer was gunned down during an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Sept. 10.
A US Department of Homeland Security official previously told The Post they designated the funeral a level-1 “special event assessment rating.”
“This designation is reserved for events of the highest national significance and enables the federal government to provide the full range of law enforcement and security resources necessary to support local officials in ensuring a safe and successful event,” the official explained.
Kirk’s widow, Erika, is expected to speak at the memorial, along with the president.
Other VIPs expected to deliver remarks include Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth; US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard; Donald Trump Jr. and more.