On September 10, political activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a rally at Utah Valley University. The rally, billed as the American Comeback Tour, was meant to “educate students about the importance of freedom, free markets and limited government.”
Video shows Kirk sitting on the stage and talking when a shot rang out and struck him in the neck. He later died from the wound, becoming the latest victim of targeted political violence.
| RELATED: Protecting high-profile figures: A police plan for preventing targeted attacks
Two people were initially taken into custody after the shooting but later released, as reported by ABC News. FBI Director Kash Patel said the manhunt for the suspected shooter remains underway and the investigation is ongoing. [1] Law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels is processing a large crime scene, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.
The challenge of event security
The U.S. Secret Service has studied targeted attacks for decades. Its Exceptional Case Study identified behavioral indicators of assassins, citing factors such as a documented history of mental health issues within the court system, contacts with law enforcement and the presence of a real or perceived grievance. [2]
A grievance is often the first step along the pathway to violence. If not interdicted, it can escalate to an act of violence. [3] (See the DHS National Threat Evaluation & Reporting Program Behavioral Approach to Violence Prevention guide below.)
A critical issue is how event security is planned and executed. In the modern age, event security requires extensive planning and the full resources of the local first responder community. Working with event hosts and guests, organizers must ensure that, as the Secret Service says, 360 degrees of protection is provided.
Layers of protection
All events in today’s threat environment must adhere to basic security principles, often described as overlapping three rings of protection. These rings — outer, middle and inner — provide layers and tripwires that backstop each other. If not managed properly, as seen in the attempted assassination of former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gap can emerge that adversaries can exploit.
The outer ring
The outer ring includes access control points such as parking, transportation and event check-in. At this stage, it is critical to monitor approaching attendees and surrounding high-ground vantage points, especially at venues like college campuses with tall buildings and line-of-sight vulnerabilities.
Controlling entry and exit points allows security to observe attendees before they enter the middle or inner perimeters. Access control also establishes rules on what can or cannot be brought into the event. Ticketing provides tracking of attendees before, during and after an event, which can be vital if an incident occurs.
The middle ring
The middle ring manages the flow of people and maintains surveillance inward and outward. Crowd monitoring helps identify potential threats before they escalate. This area also allows staging of support assets, such as fire and EMS personnel, to provide rapid assistance — a critical issue for any large gathering.
The inner ring
The inner ring provides close-in protection. In this case, Kirk had a personal security detail. But even the best close protection cannot prevent long-range attacks; it is the final layer of defense. If this ring is engaged, as seen in Butler, then the overall security plan has failed.
A 360-degree approach
Given today’s evolving threat environment, there is no room for incomplete or reactive security postures. Event planning must embrace a 360-degree approach — one that deters attacks while ensuring rapid, coordinated response when lives are at stake.
Please keep the Kirk family in your thoughts and prayers.
Tactical takeaway
Event security must integrate layered defenses and coordinated planning with first responders to close gaps adversaries can exploit.
How can smaller agencies without federal-level resources strengthen event security for political or community gatherings? Share below.
Police1 readers respond
- Fly drones over all buildings in the area during the event. Prior to events, check with local business and see if they plan on having roof work or anything else done while event is taking place.
- A simple drone deployment before and during the event could have prevented the loss of life. The failure of a proper security assessment and deployment is the real cause of the loss of life. Security and police personnel failed to do their job. I hope they can learn from this experience so that this does not happen again.
- I am deeply troubled by the circumstances surrounding the Charlie Kirk shooting. Why weren’t campus police monitoring rooftops and elevated positions, especially when credible threats were known? Universities often host controversial speakers, yet there appears to be no rooftop surveillance or alert technology in place. No unauthorized person should ever be on those rooftops. This raises urgent questions that deserve national attention. Students, faculty and guest speakers depend on security that is proactive, not reactive. Media voices like yours are essential to press universities and leaders to explain these failures and fix them before another tragedy occurs. We deserve answers to our questions and to feel like this will never happen again. As they say, “You can’t uncrack an egg,” but this is total dereliction of duty!
- Aerial drone surveillance broadcasted in real time to a real time command center with dedicated resources monitoring drone feeds is paramount to identifying and responding to threats. With today’s drone technology, it is inexcusable for someone to access a rooftop and have time to setup without being detected.
- I really enjoyed this particular article. What stood out to me was the comment at the end "... the best close protection cannot prevent long-range attacks; it is the final layer of defense. If this ring is engaged, as seen in Butler, then the overall security plan has failed.” I thought that statement was very poignant. How can we significantly address a long-range threat such as that?
- Lock down all buildings the night before. Run bomb dogs through each location. Use drones to fly over the event. Place SWAT on rooftops surrounding the venue to maintain visual advantage. Partner with other agencies for assistance and plan for worst-case scenarios.
Police1 event security resources
- How local law enforcement can prevent political violence against public officials
- 12 key lessons from the Secret Service preliminary report on the July 2024 Trump assassination attempt
- History of presidential assassinations reminds us what has happened can happen again
- The good, the bad and the ugly: An assessment of the response to the Trump assassination attempt
- Proactive preparedness: Essential tactics for local law enforcement in executive protection
- Planning for the worst-case scenario at public events
| WATCH: Gordon Graham on planning for the worst-case scenario at public events
References
- Deliso M. Manhunt for shooter continues after Charlie Kirk killed in ‘political assassination.’ ABC News.
- Mihalek D. How would-be assassins are identified by the Secret Service: ANALYSIS. ABC News.
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Behavioral Approach to Violence Prevention.
