NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
EXCLUSIVE: OREM, Utah — Two weeks after the shooting that killed Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Fox News Digital accessed the rooftop where the alleged assassin is believed to have taken the shot — stopped only a few feet short of the exact position by a waist-high barrier and a single mobile security camera.
The rooftop of the Losee Center at Utah Valley University is now at the center of growing scrutiny, as investigators examine how Tyler Robinson, 22, was allegedly able to carry out the fatal attack.
A security expert told Fox News Digital that the rooftop at UVU represented a significant vulnerability.
“If he didn’t scout it out, he got extremely lucky to find a door that was open on the roof that he needed to get onto to effectuate the actions that he took,” said Bobby McDonald, a former U.S. Secret Service agent and campus security expert. “For him to be able to get to the position that he was able to…a lot of things had to happen in the right way.”
TIMELINE OF CHARLIE KIRK’S ALLEGED ASSASSIN FROM CAMPUS SHOOTING TO SHERIFF’S OFFICE SURRENDER
Barriers and security cameras have since been installed on the Losee Center rooftop, which had not been there prior to the shooting, law enforcement officials confirmed to Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
Investigators said surveillance video captured Robinson walking onto the UVU campus shortly before noon on Sept. 10.
According to a probable cause affidavit, surveillance cameras captured him walking through a tunnel beneath Campus Drive, checking his phone, then appearing near the Losee Center with a “distinctive gait” — allegedly caused by a concealed rifle hidden in his jeans.
Video later showed a man climbing a staircase to a common area beside the building, scaling a wall and crouching on the rooftop. After waiting several minutes, he ran across the roof and took a prone shooting position with a direct line of sight to Kirk.
CHARLIE KIRK’S ACCUSED ASSASSIN ENCOUNTERED BY POLICE DURING RETURN TO CRIME SCENE: LAW ENFORCEMENT SOURCES
McDonald suggested campus police were likely bracing for protest disruptions, not a sniper.
“Their main concern would have been someone throwing a bottle, an egg or laying down in front of his car — not a shooter with a long gun on top of the roof,” he said.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason added that Robinson was spotted on campus earlier that morning, possibly scouting the area, according to Fox News’ Garrett Tenney.
During an episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” executive producer Andrew Kolvet explained that the Turning Point USA security team lacks the authority to oversee rooftops or areas beyond Kirk’s immediate location at campus events.
TURNING POINT USA SAYS SECURITY LACKED JURISDICTION TO MONITOR ROOFTOP WHEN CHARLIE KIRK WAS ASSASSINATED
“In defense of our security team, people need to understand that they do not have jurisdiction on the rooftops or the surrounding area,” Kolvet said. “Their only jurisdiction on a campus is Charlie’s physical proximity, and they were coordinating with local PD and campus PD to make sure all of those venues [were secure].”
Blake Neff, a producer for the show, emphasized that the organization didn’t deploy counter-snipers or have access to Secret Service-style protection for monitoring zones outside Kirk’s direct surroundings.
Kolvet also noted a lack of surveillance technology among many campus police departments.
CHARLIE KIRK’S KILLING AT UTAH UNIVERSITY PROMPTS SCRUTINY OF SECURITY MEASURES
“Many campus police departments do not have drone programs, which is a big problem,” he said. “I’m actually working on that because it’s something they should all have. It should be mandated by some sort of law. … So anyway, just in quick defense of the security, they’re only allowed to protect his immediate vicinity. They have to rely on PD to secure the larger perimeter.”
UVU launched a full review of its protocols amid growing scrutiny.
“We believe the findings of the comprehensive, third-party independent review of this targeted act of violence will offer valuable insights on how college campuses improve response and preparedness moving forward,” Astrid S. Tuminez, president of UVU, said. “We will integrate the findings into our efforts to strengthen and improve safety practices for UVU and all of Utah higher education.”
While some have called for counter-snipers or high-tech surveillance, McDonald cautioned that universities rarely deploy such measures absent a specific threat.
“Absent any intelligence that there was an active shooter…you’re not going to have officers stationed on rooftops,” he said.
Still, he acknowledged the assassination may prompt schools to rethink security for high-profile or controversial speakers.
“We’re used to going through metal detectors at football games, concerts, airports,” McDonald noted. “Maybe we’ll start to see that on campuses too — though in this case, I’m not sure a metal detector would have made a difference.”
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to [email protected].
Read the full article here
