OREM, Utah — Utah Valley University students, staff and followers of political activist Charlie Kirk described an “insane” scene in the immediate aftermath of the shooting the took the political activist’s life.
Shortly after noon, during Kirk’s first stop on his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University, a single gunshot was fired toward Kirk in what Utah Gov. Cox called a political assassination.
Kirk was rushed in a personal vehicle to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
“It’s a little surreal. Especially then. It felt like a dream,” said Gavin, a Utah Valley University freshman who attended the event. “Everyone started praying. That was one thing that we all just instinctively doing. Then, we started running.”
“I just heard a clear shot, ‘Boom!’ And that was it,” described another attendee, Andrew, who was just 20 feet away from the booth at the time of the shooting. “It was insane.”
Another attendee was Sam, a local high schooler who went to the event to earn extra credit for his class. While he wasn’t in the crowd at the time of the shooting, he also described the scene as “insane.” s
“Everybody just started running and screaming. Girls were crying. It was insane,” Sam said. He said he and his friend were in the food court at the time and fled the scene through the back doors.
Hours after the shooting he said he was still shaking and in shock.
Utah Valley University shut down its campus and canceled all classes after the shooting. Students, faculty and staff were advised to secure in place. Local law enforcement began a sweep of the campus in search of a suspect and to escort those locked down on campus to safety.
Max Stanley, a pitcher for the Utah Valley University baseball team was also in attendance. He said he saw the moment Kirk fell to the ground but did all he could to help people in the crowd.
“It was crazy. There were just bodies going everywhere. Everyone running, fleeing the scene.”
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