Students at Utah Valley University returned to class Wednesday, one week after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during a campus event. The tragedy has left the community shaken as students and faculty try to resume normal life.
Nyasha Paradzai, a junior from Zimbabwe, was standing just feet from Kirk when the shooting happened. “To have it fired at someone right in front of you and have them bleed out was horrific,” he said, recalling how the image still replays in his mind.
Junior Tiana Lao, who also witnessed the shooting, said she still hears the gunshot in her head. Returning to campus days later, she found herself trembling. “My hands, I couldn’t stop shaking. And my heart was racing,” she said. Despite her fears, she plans to attend classes, adding, “I really do want to get back to how it was before.”
The shooting has placed UVU, the state’s largest university, in the national spotlight. This year alone, the U.S. has recorded 47 school shootings, including 24 on college campuses.
The suspect accused of killing Kirk was arrested and charged with aggravated murder following a dayslong manhunt. In response, UVU has expanded counseling services and will hold a “Vigil for Unity” on Friday.
Faculty are also considering tighter security at future events. “We’ve never had to check for snipers before,” said professor and alumnus Erik Nystul, whose office overlooks the courtyard where Kirk was shot.
University President Astrid S. Tuminez urged the community to focus on healing, writing: “Together we will mourn. Together we will heal. And together we will move forward.”
