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It’s been one month since Charlie Kirk was assassinated while participating in a debate event at Utah Valley University (UVU), and still several questions remain.
While the university has a “September 10 – Charlie Kirk Event FAQ” section on its website, many of the provided answers, if not all of them, have been known for some time. This includes the type of event, the number of people in attendance, whether Kirk had been to the campus before and a brief reference to security measures, among other topics.
FOX 13 News Utah, based in Salt Lake City, reported that its public records requests regarding the assassination remained in limbo after the university had neither granted nor denied them. The station said it received notices that the university needs more time to respond due to the “high volume” of requests.
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The outlet said it requested the event application that Turning Point USA (TPUSA) submitted and records describing security preparations for the event. UVU’s website touches on the security measures that were taken, though it simply states, “Kirk’s lead security staff coordinated with UVU Police Chief Jeff Long regarding the security measures.”
A Utah law, the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), requires public records requests be answered within 10 business days of being submitted. In those 10 days, the entity can deny the request, grant it or say that it does not maintain the record requested. Additionally, it can notify the person or entity making the request that there are “extraordinary circumstances” that prevent it from responding within the 10-day period.
UVU qualifies as a government entity under GRAMA and even has a section on its website where requests can be submitted.
Kirk, the founder and CEO of TPUSA, was fatally shot during a debate event Sept. 10 at UVU, which was the inaugural stop on his “American Comeback Tour.”
Around 12:10 p.m. MDT, a single shot, from approximately 200 yards away, struck Kirk in the neck, according to authorities. Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said that the shooter fired from a nearby roof. Kirk was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sept. 10. “I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.” Cox spoke about America’s upcoming 250th birthday, saying that the assassination of Kirk was an affront to the founders’ vision.
He also said that “Charlie believed in the power of free speech and debate to shape ideas and to persuade people.”
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Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Kirk, is facing charges of aggravated murder, obstruction and witness tampering. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. He was arrested in St. George, Utah, after authorities said his family confronted him about his resemblance to law enforcement photos of the suspect, leading him to allegedly admitting his involvement.
It is still unclear how exactly Robinson managed to flee the campus. While surveillance video shows him arriving on campus at approximately 8:30 a.m. MDT, his precise escape route and movements after the shooting remain a mystery.
On Friday, exactly one month after Kirk was assassinated, Robinson requested permission to wear civilian clothes in court and to appear without shackles and cuffs. Attorneys representing Robinson cited Idaho student murderer Bryan Kohberger’s case in their argument that the motion would preserve his constitutional rights to a fair trial.
They argued that “the repeated and ubiquitous display” of photos showing their client in a jail jumpsuit “will inevitably lead to prospective juror perception that he is guilty and deserving of death.”
Robinson has not yet entered a plea and is due back in court Oct. 30.
Fox News Digital reached out to UVU for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Michael Ruiz, Julia Bonavita and Lee Ross contributed to this report.
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