UVU Students Return to Class Amidst Lingering Trauma One Week After Charlie Kirk Assassination
UVU Students Return to Class Amidst Lingering Trauma One Week After Charlie Kirk Assassination
Utah Valley University students returned to classes yesterday, Wednesday, September 17, grappling with the profound trauma of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination on campus just one week prior. The shooting, which occurred on Wednesday, September 10, during Kirk’s American Comeback Tour event in Orem, left the university community deeply shaken.
Eyewitnesses, like UVU senior Nyasha Paradzai, described the horrific scene, watching Kirk, 31, shot and killed by a single bullet. Paradzai recounted, “I was literally a few feet away from him and when the tragic shooting happened, I was squarely facing him, so I watched that unfold.” He, along with other students, is now navigating “countless reminders” of the event, struggling to erase the horrific images from their minds. Another junior, Tiana Lao, echoed the sentiment, stating, “Both me and my friend can still hear the gunshot clearly in our minds. We can’t get it out of our heads.”
In response to the tragedy, UVU has announced free mental health services for students throughout the remainder of the week. The university also plans to hold a “Vigil for Unity” on campus tomorrow, Friday, September 19, providing a space for healing and reaffirming shared values. UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez emphasized the university’s commitment, stating, “This attack was not just on an individual, but on the spirit of free expression, civil discourse, and intellectual inquiry that sits at the very foundation of our university.”
Authorities have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who confessed last Friday, September 12, to fatally shooting Kirk. Robinson faces seven state charges, including aggravated murder, which carries the possibility of the death penalty in Utah.
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.