Federal authorities are tracking “several threats of unknown credibility” against people planning to attend a Sunday memorial service in Arizona for Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was fatally shot last week in Utah.
Threats to President Trump, Vice President Vance and members of Kirk’s family were among those being investigated, two law enforcement sources confirmed to The Hill’s sister network, NewsNation. The threats were neither verified nor conclusively credible, but threats of unknown credibility must still be thoroughly investigated, the sources said.
The details about potential threats emerged in a law enforcement assessment circulated by federal agencies, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Secret Service.
The FBI declined to comment, while DHS and Secret Service have not responded to The Hill’s requests.
“Violent extremists and unaffiliated lone offenders may view the memorial service or related events as attractive attack targets due to the attendance of these individuals, other senior US government officials, state and local government officials, and political activists and due to major international media attention,” officials wrote in a memo, which was first reported by ABC News.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while giving a talk at Utah Valley University last week. As he answered an audience member’s question about gun violence, a single bullet struck his neck. Utah prosecutors have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with the killing.
The memorial will be held Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., where the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals play. Some 70,000 people are expected to attend the service.
DHS designated the service as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event, meaning the event will have Super Bowl-level security.
“This designation is reserved for events of the highest national significance and enables the federal government to provide the full range of law enforcement and security resources necessary to support local officials in ensuring a safe and successful event,” a DHS official previously told The Hill, on the condition of anonymity.
Trump and Vance are expected to speak at the service, in addition to a slate of other senior administration officials including White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and White House Office of Presidential Personnel Director Sergio Gor.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, will also give remarks. She was recently named the new CEO and chair of the board for Turning Point USA, the organization her late husband founded in 2012.
The tight security comes at a moment of heightened concern over political violence.
Kirk’s assassination was the latest in a string of attacks against prominent political figures of both parties in recent years, including two attempts on Trump’s life and the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) in June.
