- UVU students return to campus after Charlie Kirk's shooting, struggling with security.
- Ike Niederhauser, a witness, emphasizes community unity and compassion for healing.
- Gov. Cox encourages youth action; Kirk's message highlights importance of conversations.
OREM — Just six days after Charlie Kirk was gunned down in front of them, students at Utah Valley University are struggling to regain a sense of security as the campus slowly moves toward what was once normal. Classes resume on Wednesday, but for many, the transition will be anything but easy.
Ike Niederhauser, a senior at UVU who witnessed the shooting, returned to the memorial site with his wife Kate Monday. He described the experience as deeply emotional.
"What a beautiful memorial," Ike Niederhauser said. "It's emotional coming back and seeing this, especially being six days past it. It's been hard to process."
Standing near the same courtyard where the tragedy unfolded, he recalled the moment Kirk arrived.
"The tent was just right behind me," he said. "Charlie pulled up here and got out — a large roar from the crowd. He's a great guy. I was up off to the right side. It was a great event full of people. Just super fun to be there, great environment."
But the joy of that day quickly turned into horror. Cellphone video captured the panic as shots rang out and people fled. Ike Niederhauser said the image of that moment is one he'll never forget.
"I'm just a normal guy, a student here like everybody else," he said. "First off, my thoughts go out to the Kirk family — to his wife and those two children who don't have a father anymore. My thoughts and prayers are with them."
He believes the tragedy is a call for unity.
"We have to figure out how to work together as a community and as one to support one another," he said. "We all don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but we need to agree to disagree and help one another feel safe."
Hope, he said, has played a major role in his healing.
"I've seen the things Charlie stood for," he said. "I hope people are listening now. We need to extend a lot of grace and compassion to one another."
He believes compassion will be key in helping the community recover.
"I don't think anybody will ever be the same after witnessing that," he said. "But as we support one another and extend compassion, that will help people feel some sort of normal."
Returning to school won't be easy.
"It's hard to imagine I'm going to show up on Wednesday and go to organic chemistry and feel like a normal guy," he said. "But through the support of family, friends and Utah Valley, I think we can come back."
It's hard to imagine I'm going to show up on Wednesday and go to organic chemistry and feel like a normal guy. But through the support of family, friends, and Utah Valley, I think we can come back.
–Ike Niederhauser, UVU senior
His wife, Kate Niederhauser, shares the concern.
"It was a horrible day," she said. "It's definitely changed the feelings of the university. It feels a little unsafe at the moment, but I'm sure that that will change as we ease in."
Ike Niederhauser praised Gov. Spencer Cox for encouraging young people to take action.
"He's done a great job speaking out to the youth," he said. "He's telling us it's up to us to change this. We can become stronger through this trial."
He also reflected on Charlie Kirk's message.
"Charlie said, 'When we stop having conversations, that's when violence becomes easier,'" he recalled. "This event has shown us we can have hard conversations and move forward. There's hope. There's a brighter future ahead if we come together in unity instead of staying divided."
