Charlie Kirk's shooting death exposes security gaps at political events

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The assassination of Charlie Kirk offers the latest example of how ordinary security measures can be defeated in an era of escalating political violence, when anyone associated with the political process is a potential target, including influencers.

Kirk was in a familiar setting Wednesday before a large crowd at a university in Utah, a red state where voting trends largely aligned with his pro-MAGA politics. The conservative firebrand appeared with his own security team, as he has at scores of events on other campuses.

In hindsight, those with experience protecting high-profile public officials and dignitaries say more could have been done to prevent the fatal shooting.

Security experts interviewed by The Associated Press questioned whether the event was sufficiently staffed but also acknowledged the limitations of both campus police forces and outdoor venues. They said only the inner ring closest to Kirk appeared to be secure, leaving the outer and middle rings exposed.

The killing, apparently carried out from a nearby rooftop, had eerie parallels to the assassination attempt last year against Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, where a 20-year-old gunman managed to climb on top of a nearby building and open fire during a campaign stop.

Law enforcement officials were still searching for the shooter Thursday. Authorities said the assassin used a high-powered, bolt-action rifle and jumped off that building as spectators fled the scene. The FBI released two photos of a “person of interest.”

Many details remained unclear, including what precise security measures were taken ahead of the debate hosted by Kirk’s nonprofit political organization, Turning Point USA. The event at Utah Valley University drew more than 3,000 people.

Hours after the attack, Jeff Long, the campus police chief, told reporters that six of his officers staffed the debate, and that his department had coordinated with Kirk’s own security team. He noted that Kirk had been speaking “in a lower area surrounded by buildings” but did not say whether officers had inspected nearby rooftops.

“This is a police chief’s nightmare,” Long said. “You try to get your bases covered, and unfortunately today we didn’t, and because of that we had this tragic incident.”

Students told AP they saw no metal detectors or bag checks, though the level of security appeared consistent with other speaking engagements on Kirk’s national tour. As Kirk was not an elected or government official, he or his organization likely would have had to pay for security beyond what the university provided.

“They probably didn’t have enough security personnel there," said Ron Williams, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who now works as a private security consultant. "And the reason is because they really didn’t see the need, especially in Orem, Utah, which is a low-crime area.”

Videos posted to social media show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent. A single shot rings out, and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the side of his neck.

The debate had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling on university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. Kirk, 31, had taken note of the rising temperature last week, posting on X images of news clips showing that his visit to Utah was sparking controversy.

“Charlie was no stranger to threats,” Turning Point USA posted Thursday on X under Kirk's handle. “He received thousands throughout his life. But he always prioritized reaching as many young Americans as possible over his own personal safety.”

Still, it was unclear whether Kirk had received specific death threats or other indications he was in danger. Even if he had, experts said it can be difficult to provide airtight protection for a private individual without a presidential-level security detail.

An example is “The Satanic Verses” novelist Salman Rushdie, who drew death threats from Iranian leaders for decades before he was nearly stabbed to death in 2022 by an assailant who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.

Donald Trump Jr. acknowledged the inherent security risks of political events in July as he spoke alongside Kirk at a Turning Point USA summit in Tampa, Florida. The younger Trump recalled a 2016 campus event in which he said he appeared with Kirk even after Michigan state police warned that they could not guarantee the two men's safety.

“I literally said I’d rather get my ass kicked right here, right now, than capitulate to the woke mob,” Trump Jr. said.

Kirk was an ardent supporter of Second Amendment rights and had long argued that an armed populace makes everyone safer. Utah is one of 14 states that allow some level of concealed carry of firearms on public college and university campuses. In May, a law took effect allowing anyone at least 18 years old with a valid Utah concealed weapon permit to carry a weapon on campus.

Williams said a uniformed officer should have been posted atop the university’s Losee Center, about 142 yards (130 meters) from the tent where Kirk was shot. Authorities believe the gunman fired from that rooftop.

“If you have a high ground issue, you’ve got to take care of that first,” said Williams, who protected four presidents and visiting foreign dignitaries during 22 years with the Secret Service. High ground gives a shooter "a direct line of fire."

Williams also questioned the decision to hold the event outdoors. An inside venue, he said, would have allowed for security checkpoints.

Another former Secret Service agent, Joseph LaSorsa, said it was impossible "to secure 3,000 people” with half a dozen officers. "They didn’t have perimeter security. They didn’t have counter-sniper. They were wide open," said LaSorsa, who protected three presidents during a 20-year-career with the Secret Service.

Kirk's security team was likely most concerned “with people rushing the stage” or bothering him as he returned to his vehicle, said Bobby McDonald, a former Secret Service supervisory agent who is now a criminal-justice lecturer at the University of New Haven. A longer-range shooting, he said, was likely not even on the radar.

“I’m not sure if there were 20 police officers there that this type of event wouldn’t happen at that college setting," McDonald said. “This person knew what they were doing with that firearm.”

Events at colleges can be exceedingly difficult to secure, especially when they involve a controversial figure, said David B. Mitchell, the chief of the University of Maryland Police Department. Student groups like to showcase such speakers because they draw big crowds.

“This is going to send shock waves across college campuses,” Mitchell said, because there are many similar events "happening all the time.”

Mitchell’s 100-officer force helps secure events involving high-profile politicians and other figures due to the school’s proximity to Washington. Former President Barack Obama has attended at least two University of Maryland basketball games. Such events require extensive preparation.

“It’s the Charlie Kirks of the world who don’t have large security details like that — certainly not to the level of the president or other elected officials — and yet they can still be a target,” Mitchell said. “There is really only so much you can do, given the circumstances."

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Associated Press journalists Hannah Schoenbaum in Orem, Utah, Del Quentin Wilber in Washington and Christopher Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report.