US Politics
Taxpayers shelled out $2.6 million in security costs for Charlie Kirk’s memorial
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American taxpayers paid over $2.6 million to cover the security costs for Charlie Kirk’s huge memorial service, according to a new report.
The event last month in Glendale, Arizona – which was attended by over 100,000 people – included protection from ARCUS Group, LLC, a full-service event management and security company.
Documents obtained by TMZ showed that the U.S Secret Service paid the group $2,677,416.19 to secure the perimeter at State Farm Stadium, where the ceremony took place on September 21.
The Independent has contacted the U.S. Secret Service for comment regarding the cost of security measures.
As well as the 90,000 mourners inside the stadium and thousands more gathered outside, Kirk’s memorial was attended by a host of high-profile figures including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and tech billionaire Elon Musk. Kirk’s widow, Erika, also delivered a powerful eulogy.
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Pictures of the event showed snaking lines stretching back from the stadium, and memorial planners were forced to send attendees to Desert Diamond Arena one block north, which has a capacity of 20,000.
ARCUS, which also provides disaster response services, specializes in event design and production, event programming, and internal and perimeter security, according to their website.
The company has extensive experience of providing security at high profile events, including Trump’s second inauguration earlier this year.
It provided the security for both national political conventions in 2024, as well as the funeral of former president Jimmy Carter and former President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
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Kirk’s memorial, which took place less than two weeks after he was fatally shot during a speaking arrangement in Utah, went off largely without a hitch, though one man was arrested a day before the event.
Joshua Runkles was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer and taking a weapon into the stadium, though a spokesperson for Kirk’s political organization Turning Point USA later said he was known to them.
Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said on X that Runkles “was doing advance security for a known guest planning to attend the memorial service tomorrow.”
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“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,” Kolvet added.
It was not specified who Runkles was providing security for.
His arrest came before the site had been fully sealed and locked down, Kolvet said.
Tyler Robinson, 22, faces seven charges relating to Kirk’s death, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
