One year after conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University in Orem, significant efforts to enhance campus safety are still underway, though none are fully complete. The college commissioned a security review, a new state task force began scrutinizing campus safety across Utah, and state lawmakers started exploring changes to prevent future tragedies.
Utah Valley University anticipates releasing the findings of its independent review in approximately one month, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday. While the university had initially aimed for a late spring public release, that timeline was tentative, according to Sharon Turner, senior director of communications for the university. Turner told Utah News Dispatch that UVU is hoping for a path forward that improves existing methods, emphasizing, "There’s always room for improvement."
Last year, Kirk was fatally shot while answering a question at an outdoor speaking event attended by some 3,000 people. The gunshot prompted his audience to scatter and initiated a nearly day-and-a-half-long manhunt for the suspected shooter.
Just last week, a judge ordered 23-year-old Tyler Robinson to stand trial for aggravated murder in connection with Kirk’s death. Robinson, who pleaded not guilty, is accused of shooting Kirk from a campus rooftop using his grandfather’s hunting rifle. Prosecutors stated they intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.
On the one-year anniversary of the shooting, Utah Valley University canceled classes. Governor Spencer Cox recognized the day by declaring it Charlie Kirk Day across the state. Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk co-founded, rented an arena on the UVU campus to host a memorial service Thursday evening.
Before Kirk’s death, much of the campus safety discourse in Utah centered on sexual assault cases involving students. The killing of University of Utah student Lauren McCluskey in 2018 then shifted attention to intimate partner violence and stalking. Kirk's death seven years later placed a direct spotlight on the need for thorough safety planning for public events. Experts criticized the security measures for Kirk's appearance last year, noting it was staffed by only six UVU officers and lacked assistance from deputies of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
Beyond UVU's commissioned review, the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) established a task force last year dedicated to studying campus safety. This group is currently evaluating security protocols at Utah’s eight public colleges and universities. It plans to issue recommendations for these institutions, though a spokesperson for USHE indicated that there is no set timeline yet for when its findings will be made public.
These recommendations are expected to inform parts of a comprehensive school safety proposal planned by Rep. Ryan Wilcox for the upcoming legislative session, which begins in January. Wilcox, a Republican from Ogden and chair of the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee, stated that he would not disclose details of his bill until the task force releases its report, which he anticipates by the end of this year.
Under a 2024 state law, K-12 schools in Utah must conduct safety assessments every three years. Wilcox had previously proposed a similar requirement for colleges in 2025, but that component was rejected by the state Senate earlier that year, before Kirk was killed. Wilcox considered reintroducing his push for college safety assessments this year but instead opted to coordinate with the Utah System of Higher Education to enhance security measures and event planning across campuses. Wilcox emphasized the ongoing commitment to these efforts, stating, "We’re still wide awake and watching, and involved in those conversations."
