At a campus event on Wednesday, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot, prompting a scene of mass panic among the approximately 3,000 attendees at Utah Valley University, where he was speaking as part of his American Comeback Tour.
Kirk, 31, was struck in the neck by a bullet believed to have come from a shooter positioned on the roof of a nearby building.
Eyewitness accounts share a vivid picture of the aftermath. One attendee described the moment of the shot: Me and my buddies were having a good time just listening to what was going on and we just saw it, heard a loud shout, loud bang and then I saw his body actually in slow motion kind of fall over. Porter LaFerber, another student present, recounted the moment he heard the gunfire, noting how everyone scrambled for safety.
Close to the action, Danielle, who was just 15 feet away from Kirk, expressed her terror, revealing how she instinctively prayed for safety amidst the chaos. It was horrible, she said.
Former congressman Jason Chaffetz, also at the event, recalled how everyone immediately dropped to the ground, creating confusion and fear. The shot came straight at him, he observed. Videos circulating on social media capture the frenzied escape of the crowd as they fled the venue.
Phil Lyman, a former state representative, voiced his distress over the traumatic experience, stating, 3,000 kids basically watched somebody shot right in front of them, it's really traumatic. Really, really rough.
Eyewitness Emma Pitts, a journalist, revealed her lasting trauma from witnessing the shooting firsthand, and pointed out the surprising lack of security measures at the event, only six security officers were present alongside Kirk's private detail.
The university has been contacted for comments regarding their security protocols during the event as the investigation into the shooting continues. The tragic incident raises pressing questions about safety at political events and the growing concerns around gun violence in the United States.
