Charlie Kirk’s American Comeback Tour to continue with stop at Utah State University

“I think that that’s exactly what Charlie would have wanted. He wouldn’t want things to go on hold. He would only want this to empower our organization and our entire nation,” Turning Point USA Chapter President Kaitlin Griffiths said.

 

According to Griffiths, the evening event will go as planned. Daytime events have been cancelled.

Increased security was already a priority, even before Charlie Kirk’s murder on September 10.

 

“We already had talks with campus security and the local police about how it was going to need intense security,” Griffiths said. “There was a lot of protest on campus, a petition, things like that so we had already prepared for quite a lockdown of that event.”

 

TPUSA hasn’t told the chapter who their speaker will be on September 30.

 

Griffiths said depending on who it is — even more security could be needed.

 

“I do think with recent events there will be extra lockdown on political events in the coming weeks,” she said.

 

Utah State University’s Spokesperson Amanda Derito provided  the following statement:

“USU works diligently to protect the safety of our community and has a robust plan that is evaluated routinely. Even during times without heightened safety concerns, Utah State’s Department of Public Safety collaborates with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure security measures at campus events are planned and staffed according to industry best practices, including a thorough comprehensive threat assessment, detailed security planning, deployment of a diverse array of security assets, effective crowd management, close protection for the speaker, clear communication and coordination, and readiness for crisis response. USU utilizes rigorous security protocols for all major events year-round, including football and basketball games, high-profile speakers, and graduation ceremonies. These protocols are data-driven, multi-tiered, and include scenario-based planning. USU also tests its security systems, including lockdown and emergency notifications on a regular basis.  

With respect to the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event, USU Public Safety began planning for the original TPUSA event immediately upon notification that one of our student clubs had extended the invitation.

We have since heard that the student club would like to proceed with at least one event they had scheduled. This is an evening event at an indoor venue. The event format and program is determined by the club and the speaker, and Utah State University is only involved in providing a location and creating a secure environment for the event to take place. 

Our staff will work with the student club, TPUSA, and local, state, and federal officials to put in place elevated security measures to protect those who attend and provide a secure campus environment.”