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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.
NEW VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW ALLEGED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN NEAR CAMPUS HOURS BEFORE SHOOTING
Law enforcement officials work near the crime scene where political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 11, 2025. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
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.”
A crowd is seen fleeing on the Utah Valley University campus after a gunman opened fire and killed conservative speaker Charlie Kirk. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)
SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING THE CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING
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.
People hold candles and sing during a memorial and prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of assassinating Kirk, allegedly arrived at the venue at 11:52 a.m. MT and headed to the Losee Center on campus. The event started a few minutes later, around 12:00 p.m. MT, and the shooting began at 12:23 p.m. It did not take long for the campus to be cleared, with UVU saying police went “building to building” escorting students and campus officials off the grounds by 12:30 p.m.
Just over an hour later, Trump confirmed Kirk did not survive the attack.
A school spokesperson told Fox News Digital that UVU Police, in conjunction with the Orem Police Department, Utah Department of Public Safety and the FBI, started investigating the shooting. Robinson’s family recognized him from surveillance images released by law enforcement and later reported to authorities that they believed he carried out the shooting.
Fox News Digital reached out to UVU Police for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes and Stepheny Price and The Associated Press contributed to this report.