A 19-year-old was detained Sunday after video showed him trampling a memorial outside Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Phoenix that had been dedicated to the organization’s slain co-founder, police said.
Phoenix police said the suspect, identified as Ryder Corral, jumped onto flowers, photos and other items left at the vigil for Charlie Kirk and stomped across the tribute before mourners pulled him away. A bystander was seen grabbing Corral and throwing him to the ground, and another person was recorded kicking the downed suspect. Officers arrived, handcuffed Corral and took him into custody.
Phoenix Police Department Public Information Sergeant Philip Krynsky told media outlets that Corral is expected to be charged with criminal damage and disorderly conduct. Authorities did not provide further details about the suspect’s motive.
Eyewitness footage circulated online showed Corral wearing a black T-shirt with an American flag and bald eagle, similar to the shirt seen in photographs distributed by police of the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, during a manhunt following Kirk’s death. Robinson is the subject of an ongoing investigation after Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University last week.
Kirk’s death has prompted vigils and heightened tensions at conservative events and sites associated with the activist group. Hours after Kirk was killed, police said a separate confrontation broke out outside the Idaho State Capitol when a man on a bicycle confronted mourners; that man was outnumbered and attacked by some attendees before officers arrived and dispersed the group.
Turning Point USA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Police said the investigation into the Phoenix incident remains active, and additional charges could be possible pending the outcome.
Sunday’s disturbance underscores security and crowd-control challenges facing organizations and communities holding public tributes in the wake of a high-profile killing. Authorities in Phoenix and Utah continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Kirk’s shooting and the actions of those who have converged at memorial sites.
