Turning Point USA’s “American Comeback Tour” returns to Utah Tuesday night, three weeks after the tour was marred by tragedy at Utah Valley University when the organization’s founder and CEO Charlie Kirk was assassinated.
Ahead of the event, Utah State officials issued an emergency alert at 2:44 p.m., asking all to evacuate the Old Main building on campus.
A second message from USU indicated the building is being evacuated “due to a suspicious package. Police are responding.”
The school said it would provide additional alerts by email, text messaging, USU’s X and Facebook pages, and at usu.edu.
There was no immediate word if the TPUSA event would be postponed or canceled.
In the wake of Kirk’s death, TPUSA vowed to continue the tour, as prominent conservative and political figures volunteered to fill in.
The event at Utah State will have much more stringent security than the UVU event.
The “American Comeback Tour” is slated to begin at USU at 6:30 p.m., with doors to the Spectrum arena opening at 5 p.m.
TPUSA podcast host Alex Clark will moderate a panel that will include Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, who is running for governor in Arizona and has received TPUSA’s backing.
Lee will be joining the panel remotely from Washington, D.C., in order to participate in possible Senate shutdown votes Tuesday night.
The discussion is said to be focused on where Utah should go from here and what healing from Kirk’s death looks like.
Tyler Bowyer, Turning Point’s chief operating officer, said ahead of the event, “We’ll be interviewing a number of individuals who were present and involved around the assassination.”
Chaffetz was at Utah Valley University with his family when Kirk was shot.
“So it should be an interesting conversation, especially given the news of Michigan and the bigger news of the LDS president passing away this last week,” Bowyer said.
What is the university doing for security?
Bags and backpacks larger than 6½ inches by 4½ inches are prohibited. Bags smaller than that will be searched, and all attendees will be required to go through metal detectors.
No outside signs will be allowed in, and there will be no reentry.
University officials said security for the event will be similar to sporting events to ensure the safety of the speakers and all those attending.
Who will fill in for Kirk on other tour stops?
Three of the 11 stops on Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour” are yet to be filled. The other seven will be covered by the following politicians and political commentators:
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Vivek Ramaswamy and Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte at Montana State on Oct. 7.
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Glenn Beck at the University of North Dakota on Oct. 9.
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TBD at the University of Oklahoma on Oct. 16.
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Tucker Carlson at Indiana University Bloomington on Oct. 21.
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Allie Beth Stuckey and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry at Louisiana State University on Oct. 27.
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TBD at Ole Miss on Oct. 29.
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TBD at Auburn University on Nov. 5.
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Rob Schneider and Frank Turek at UC Berkely on Nov. 10
