Utah University Under Fire: Charlie Kirk’s Killing Raises Alarming Security Questions.H1

The assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University (UVU) last Wednesday raised questions about whether a potential lack of security protocols could be to blame for the conservative activist’s death.

“There were not a lot of cops there. I’ve seen more cops at UVU for sporting events than right now,” a witness identified only as Sam, a local high school student, told KUTV right after the shooting on Wednesday. Sam also wondered why there weren’t stricter security measures, such as bag checks before the event.

“They had cops above on the walkways who were stopping — what I assume — people from throwing stuff down towards him. So, I wonder why there wasn’t any level of security taken to stop people around, like, in front of him or anything like that,” he added.

Kirk often appeared at venues where he faced strong criticism, going toe-to-toe with his harshest opponents on campuses and venues across the country.

Less than two weeks before his event at UVU, a central California sheriff’s department conducted three days of reconnaissance ahead of a speech by the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder, according to The Associated Press.

The outlet reported that officials researched escape routes and identified local activists who opposed Kirk. Additionally, 60 law enforcement officers were sent to monitor the 2,000-person event, the AP reported, adding that a drone was deployed to secure surrounding rooftops.

Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux spoke with the AP about the preparations taken for the event.

“The very nature of Charlie Kirk coming in requires you take special attention to the nuances of what could possibly happen,” Boudreaux said. “He’s a high profile name and personality. Not only do we have to provide for the safety of people attending, we have to provide for the safety of him.”

Only six campus police officers — about one-quarter of the force — were assigned to work Kirk’s UVU event, according to The AP. The use of drones in California brings into question why such measures were not taken at UVU as the shooter fired at Kirk from atop a building, mirroring the near assassination of then-candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pa.

Eric O’Neill, a former FBI counterterrorism and counterintelligence operative, spoke to The Hill about the challenges of securing an outdoor venue.

“It’s very difficult to lock down, from a security standpoint, an area that large, particularly when there’s outlying buildings,” O’Neill said.

While he compared the assassination of Kirk to the Trump shooting, O’Neill acknowledged that the TPUSA CEO would not have the same level of security as a then-former-president-turned-presidential-candidate.