Law enforcement detained an armed man “exhibiting suspicious behavior” at the site of Charlie Kirk‘s memorial on Friday.
The man claimed to be law enforcement and was detained after entering the Arizona Cardinals stadium, where Kirk’s funeral is set to be on Sunday.
The Secret Service observed the man exhibiting odd behavior and approached him, which is when he claimed he was armed and a member of law enforcement.
“The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody,” the Secret Service said, adding that he had not been arrested as of late Friday night. “The U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement are investigating the circumstances as to why he was at the location.”
The man was armed with at least one gun and a knife when he was entering the stadium, the Washington Post reported. It’s unclear how the man entered the stadium armed.
He presented “inactive law enforcement credentials” and told the Secret Service that he was there to provide private security when stopped.
President Donald Trump and numerous other top political officials will be in Arizona for Kirk’s memorial on Sunday. The event is classed as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event, which is akin to Super Bowl-level security.
A law enforcement official told the outlet that Secret Service teams have been on the ground for several days coordinating security with other federal, state and local law enforcement officials, and were expected to begin setting up a perimeter around the stadium Saturday.
A gunman shot and killed Kirk earlier this month. Kirk’s death triggered an outpouring of sympathy across the political spectrum, though some detractors lamented Kirk’s past statements and actions.
Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, has been caught.
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The conservative commentator’s memorial will begin Sunday afternoon Eastern Time and will feature Trump as a speaker.
Kirk’s wife, Erica Kirk, has taken the reins as Turning Point USA’s leader. Turning Point USA is the organization that Charlie Kirk founded and will play a major part in his memorial.