Man detained at Kirk memorial site was allegedly found with gun, knife and expired credentials inside stadium

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A man carrying a gun and a knife was detained Friday by the Secret Service at Glendale State Farm Stadium, Arizona. Charlie Kirk The agency confirmed to Fox News Digital that the commemoration will be held on Sunday.

Agent Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man was “detained at the stadium but was set up in any safe perimeter”.

The person allegedly told the Secret Service agent that he provided private security at the scene.

A federal source familiar with the investigation told Fox News that the man was a former law enforcement member from another state.

Real-time update: Charlie Kirk Memorial in Arizona

Workers installed Charlie Kirk’s photos outside of Glendale State University in Glendale, Arizona before the memorial service on Sunday, September 21. (Reuters/Cheny Orr)

“He came and identified himself with expired qualifications. They were going through his background and trying to figure out what he was working there,” the federal source added.

“The U.S. Secret Service, which is coordinated with local law enforcement in Glendale, Arizona, is investigating a person showing suspicious behavior at a state farm stadium,” Guglielmi told Fox News Digital.

Guglielmi added: “The person was in contact with the Secret Service and said during the encounter that he was a member of the law enforcement officer and that he was armed. The person is not a member of the authorized law enforcement department and is currently in custody.”

Charlie Kirk’s Memorial: What to Know About Events in Arizona

A security guard monitored Sunday’s memorial service at the state farm stadium on Friday, September 19, 2025 at Charlie Kirk, Glendale, Arizona. (Derek Shakes Fox News Numbers)

The development is due to the fact that police are expected to attend Kirk’s memorial service and overflow arena at the State Farm Stadium on Sunday, September 21.

According to the venue, the State Farm Stadium has a fixed seat of 63,400 and can be expanded to over 73,000 in larger events.

The Department of Homeland Security also designated the memorial service as “Special Event Assessment Level 1” and “events reserved for the highest national significance” with the same severity as the Super Bowl.