UVU Students Return to Campus One Week After Charlie Kirk Shooting at Utah Valley University

[00:00] New at 10. As UVU students return to

[00:03] class for the first time today, one week

[00:05] after conservative political activist

[00:07] Charlie Kirk was killed, the site where

[00:09] the shooting happened is a stark

[00:11] reminder of the tragedy. Thanks for

[00:13] joining us for 2 News at 10. I'm Jamie

[00:16] McGriff

[00:16] and I'm Mark Cabell. Tonight, we're

[00:17] looking into how the students are coping

[00:19] and what professionals are saying when

[00:21] it comes to sites of such acts of

[00:23] violence. Brian will live at UVU with

[00:25] what the future of that area could be

[00:27] for students. Brian.

[00:30] Mark and Jamie. Students returned to

[00:32] class today and were greeted by a

[00:34] courtyard still marked by this tragedy.

[00:36] It's a heavy burden for those that were

[00:38] there and even students who are just

[00:40] coming back to school

[00:43] right there. That spot just right there.

[00:45] One shot and he died.

[00:46] I'm almost graduated, but I actually

[00:48] looked at transferring just because it's

[00:50] it's kind of hard to go to a school

[00:52] and this spot specifically with what

[00:54] happened now is always a reminder. The

[00:58] center of campus is now the center of

[01:00] focus of political violence for so many

[01:03] students at Utah Valley University.

[01:06] It's going to be incredibly difficult

[01:07] for um the students this week.

[01:10] Brady Kle with tangible mental health is

[01:12] one of the numerous clinics offering

[01:15] free mental health services to students,

[01:17] staff, and the community here.

[01:19] What can be done in that case? Is it

[01:20] best to avoid that space or is it best

[01:23] to have eventually that space might have

[01:25] to be transformed because it's such a

[01:27] significant spot there on campus?

[01:29] Yeah, I've I've heard that they're

[01:31] actually doing some things to transform

[01:32] that space which I think is a is a great

[01:34] idea to try and um hopefully change at

[01:38] least some aspects of the of that um

[01:41] area.

[01:41] The university has pulled up the grass

[01:43] in the spot where Charlie Kirk was

[01:45] killed and laid bricks over it. But the

[01:49] design remains the same.

[01:51] Awkward knowing that, but I think as

[01:55] time passes on, you kind of get used to

[01:57] the fact knowing that that happened

[02:00] there. It It's kind of crazy.

[02:05] Now, as for what could happen to the

[02:06] site, the university has not said

[02:08] whether they plan a permanent memorial

[02:10] or a statue there or if they're planning

[02:13] on any other changes to the courtyard.

[02:15] For other mental health resources, you

[02:16] can head on over to kutv.com.

[02:19] We'll be posted in there. Live at UVU.

[02:21] Brian Will, KUTV2 News.

[02:24] All right, Brian. Thanks. Utah Valley

[02:26] University is hosting a vigil for unity.

[02:28] It's this Friday. The event will be at

[02:31] the UCCCU Center in Orum following the

[02:33] shooting of Charlie Kirk. President

[02:35] Astred Tim calls this a stand for free

[02:38] expression and unity. The vigil will be

[02:40] open to the public. Doors open at 2:30.

[02:43] The vigil starts at 400 p.m.

[02:45] And this weekend, funeral services for

[02:47] Charlie Kirk will be held in Arizona.

[02:49] Kirk's funeral will be Sunday at the

[02:51] State Farm Stadium just outside of

[02:53] Phoenix. President Trump has said that

[02:55] he will be there. The event starts at

[02:58] noon local time and you can watch the

[02:59] event here on KUTV and we will be live

[03:02] streaming it on kutv.com.