Creighton Baird is at Utah Valley University./ Was At the Event

I can feel the crowds energy as I step out of the engineering building and on to the second story promenade. 3,000 people. It feels like a soccer game somewhere that cares. Abuzz. Chants break out. Lots of young moms with babies on front packs, wearing little sun hats.
Flags on sticks are stuck in people’s hats. It’s crowded. I approach from upstairs, don’t have a view, work my way downstairs. It’s much more crowded than I imagined it would be. Mostly college age.
I walk by the Turning Point USA tent on the far right, I’m searching for the place for ticket holders. I heard it lets you get in closer. I got my ticket after seeing Charlie talk about it in a video.
I live 45 minutes away and UVU is my alma mater.
I make my way down to the pit but there was no good room. I’m stuck behind tall dudes. I walk back up a few terraces and find a wider lane, I walk back to the water feature, there was a gap where I could see clearly. Maybe 30-40 yards
The speakers are quiet. It’s hard to hear the questions being asked. A guy messes with the speaker and adjusted the levels.
It’s hot. I have sunnies but wish I had a hat.
There’s a loud group of protestors on the top right, second story. They wave signs and flags, some for things I dont recognize. They chant obscenities and yell throughout the whole thing.
There were many types of protestors there, LGBTQ, Trans, free Palestine, anti- war, etc….
20 minutes in, a student has asked a question about gun violence in America and who commits it. As Charlie was answering, a crack reports out. A single high caliber rifle shot. Like a hunting rifle. A 300WinMag or something. It comes from behind me on my left, and high above like from a rooftop.
Charlie’s neck explodes.
For 1 instance, I thought it could be fake. A gag. A bit of theater to sell the topic being discussed. The thought passed quickly.
This was real.
3,000 spectators hit the ground for cover and screams filled the air. Panicked noises. We were tightly packed. When we hit the ground, we were piled on each other. I was on a person, two people were on top of me. I couldn’t pull my phone out of my pocket till they got off me. For 5 seconds we all stayed put, waiting for more shots to ring out. For a spray of bullets to start moving across the crowd. We were located in a fucking killing pit. It was a perfect setup for slaughter.
5 seconds.
No other bullets came.
The energy shifted. It was now time to get out of there. People got to their feet and rushed towards whichever building entrance was closest to them. Cries for friends and family, and panicked voices filled the air. I rushed towards immediate cover, the TPUSA tent. My instinct is strong to get out of sight. I know it was a scoped rifle used. A sniper.
Get out of sight.
The TPUSA student volunteers are dumbfounded. They stand there, stone, not moving, not believing. I would have moved if I were them. I’d have felt like a target.
I duck behind the tent. I look at the rooftops. Search for the shooter. Trying to make my next decision on where to go. This decision is important.
I choose the closest door. Get to protected cover. A traffic jam of bodies pushes forward. Students in tears. Talk of the neck shot flying around. The 2 door opening is narrow for the flow. UVU employees guide you in, tell you to keep moving as to not jam up the doorway. They got there fast.
There could be another attack.
A bomb in this large room we’re all walking into.
A second shooter lying in wait? My brain has intrusive thoughts.
I move quickly. I go from building to building. It takes about 5 minutes to get across campus and to a safe feeling area.
See operators pull up, decked out. They approach school in group of 4.
I get in my truck, spend 90 minutes leaving campus in heavy traffic.
I’m not sure how to process what just happened. I spend a few hours parked beside the lake, just replaying what happened over and over.
I’m heartbroken for all the people who experienced that horrible act, and I’m devastated for the wife and young children that Charlie leaves behind.
“They didn’t murder Charlie Kirk because he was an extremist or a fascist or a threat to democracy or inciting violence or any of the other reasons they’re putting out there.
They murdered him because he was effective.”