Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell warned Friday that authorities will not tolerate any illegal activity at Sunday’s memorial service for Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
The service is expected to draw roughly 100,000 attendees and will include remarks from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The federal government has classified the event as a Level 1 Special Event — the same designation used for the Super Bowl — requiring extensive interagency security coordination.
“This moment calls for Maricopa County to step up and show the nation—and the world—that we value dignity, civility, and the rule of law. We can be role models that even in times of grief and disagreement, our community is united in its commitment to free speech without violence or lawlessness,” Mitchell noted in a statement posted to X on Friday.
“Let me be clear: my office will defend the rights of those who come to mourn or protest peacefully. Anyone who chooses to break the law—through violence, destruction of property, or obstruction— will be held accountable,” she added.
“Let us honor Charlie Kirk’s memory and the blessings of liberty not with division or disruption, but with peace and respect for others,” she further stated.
The Secret Service said Saturday that an armed man carrying a knife and a firearm was apprehended after gaining access to State Farm Stadium. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, he faces charges of felony impersonation of an officer and misdemeanor possession of a weapon in a restricted area.
“The individual was approached by Secret Service and stated during the encounter that he was a member of law enforcement and that he was armed,” the statement read. “The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody. The U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement are investigating the circumstances as to why he was at the location.”
With attendance expected to be high, officials anticipate an overflow crowd at Desert Diamond Arena, a nearby venue that regularly hosts major concerts and previously served as a rally site for both Donald Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign.
