OREM, Utah (NewsNation) — Police are ramping up security similar to the Super Bowl-level measures ahead of the funeral for conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The service will be open to the public at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, just outside Phoenix, where President Donald Trump and members of his administration are expected to attend. With a capacity of more than 63,000, the venue will be secured by local and state law enforcement working alongside the U.S. Secret Service.
The Glendale Police Department told NewsNation they are deploying several hundred additional officers, drone operators, and a high-tech real-time crime center to monitor the stadium perimeter.
The last time State Farm Stadium implemented such measures was during Super Bowl LVII in 2023.
President Trump to speak at Kirk’s funeral
Among the high-profile attendees will be former Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks, as is Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk. A court has also granted an indefinite protective order for her and her family.
Turning Point USA sees surge in new membership requests
Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA and an ally of Trump, will be laid to rest in the Phoenix suburb, as that is the headquarters of his life’s work.
Turning Point has had a surge in new membership requests. In just six days following Kirk’s death, the organization says it has received more than 54,000 requests from high school and college students nationwide wanting to start a chapter or join an existing chapter at their schools.
Kirk was shot while speaking at an event in the campus courtyard. Kirk was widely credited with energizing young Republican voters and playing a key role in Trump’s 2024 presidential victory.
Kirk’s accused killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, remains in county jail, held without bail. Prosecutors have charged Robinson with seven separate counts and confirmed they would seek the death penalty.