Utah Valley University resumed in-person classes Wednesday, a week after a campus shooting killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an event in Orem, Utah. Roughly 46,000 students attend UVU, and about 3,000 people were at Kirk’s appearance on campus last week. The university said it would provide free mental health services to students through the remainder of the week as classes resume and the campus process begins to return to normal.
Returning students faced what many described as “countless reminders” of the attack. Nyasha Paradzai, a senior from Zimbabwe, told Reuters that the memory remains vivid for him and his peers. “In my world, you don’t hear guns. This was very new for me, not only to hear one, but to have it fired at someone right in front of you and have them bleed out in front of you was horrific,” Paradzai said. He said he is learning to cope with the imagery of that moment as he moves through his daily routine on campus.
Another UVU junior, Tiana Lao, described the lingering impact of the shooting. “We still hear the gunshots clearly in our minds. We can’t get it out of our heads,” Lao said. She recalled feeling adrenaline surge to panic when classes resumed and she was asked to participate in media requests related to the incident.
A vigil titled “Vigil for Unity” is scheduled for Friday on campus to provide space for students, faculty, staff and community members to come together in remembrance and healing. Utah Valley University President Astrid S. Tuminez said in a statement Tuesday that the 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.” She added that the campus remains committed to learning, dialogue and shared values, even in the face of grief. “Together we choose hope for the future, and care for each other during this time.”
The shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, confessed to fatally shooting Kirk, according to authorities. He allegedly fired the single fatal shot from the top of the Losee Center Building at UVU, about 200 yards from where Kirk was seated in a makeshift tent during the event. State prosecutors announced seven charges against Robinson, including aggravated murder, a top count that carries the possibility of the death penalty under Utah law.
Kirk’s appearance on campus drew a sizable crowd to watch him engage in an open-air debate as part of his American Comeback Tour. The campus and local authorities have vowed to prioritize safety and support for those affected by the shooting as the investigation continues.
UVU officials reiterated that mental health resources would be available for students through the remainder of the week, and a campus-wide effort to support those traumatized by the events continued to unfold as classes resumed. A fourth image shows Kirk distributing hats before he spoke on campus, captured in recent coverage of the incident.
