Turning Point USA, the organization he founded and led, has said that tour will continue in Kirk’s honor after he was shot and killed during his first stop at a different Utah college last week.
USU said it is preparing now for that event, which will be held on Sept. 30 — the same day it was originally scheduled. “Given the heightened concerns,” the school noted that will include additional security measures.
In a brief statement Wednesday, the school said the venue has not been finalized, but it is planning for the event to be ticketed and held indoors, which should make it easier to provide police coverage.
“Even for events without heightened safety concerns, USU’s Department of Public Safety has robust security plans for events on USU’s campus that meet industry standards and best practices,” the statement says.
The event is also still being organized by a registered student club, the school said, along with Turning Point USA.
When that club originally extended an invitation to Kirk to speak, USU’s spokesperson Amanda DeRito previously said the school was anticipating providing policing on the same level as a football game or graduation ceremony.
USU also collaborates with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies on its event security standards and will do the same for this event.
That includes threat assessments, detailed planning, crowd management, preparation for a crisis response and “close protection for the speaker,” the school said.
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This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.