Bomb Scare at Utah State Ahead of TPUSA Event
On Tuesday, Utah State University’s historic Old Main building was abruptly evacuated when a “suspicious package” was discovered just hours before a scheduled Turning Point USA event. Students and staff were told to leave, and police cordoned off the area as the bomb squad moved in.
Authorities quickly determined the device was not explosive, but out of caution they chose to detonate it anyway, sending a controlled blast echoing across campus. By late afternoon, the university issued an “all clear,” assuring students that the building was “safe and secure.”
The timing of the scare could not have been more sensitive. Later that evening, Old Main was set to host TPUSA’s “American Comeback Tour,” a stop that had already been cast in a somber light: it was the first Utah event since the assassination of TPUSA co-founder Charlie Kirk.
Security Fears Heightened
Since Kirk’s September 10 shooting during a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, every TPUSA gathering has carried an air of unease. Kirk, a nationally recognized conservative activist, was gunned down in front of a live audience, turning a political speaking tour into the scene of a political assassination.
Police swiftly charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with Kirk’s murder, alongside a slate of other crimes including obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Investigators allege Robinson used a high-powered rifle during the attack, and the FBI continues to gather forensic evidence ranging from ballistic traces to rooftop surveillance footage.
Against this backdrop, the discovery of a suspicious device at USU struck a raw nerve. Metal detectors, bag checks, and heightened patrols had already been added to the venue’s security protocols. For many attendees, the evacuation felt less like an isolated incident and more like a grim reminder of how fragile the boundary between politics and violence has become on college campuses.
The Event Goes On
Despite the disruption, the show went on. The “American Comeback Tour” began at 6:30 p.m., with a lineup that included Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Gov. Spencer Cox, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, and former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz. These speakers were stepping into the space Kirk once filled, paying tribute by continuing the tour he had helped to shape.
For many in the audience, the event was both a rallying cry and a memorial. It underscored TPUSA’s determination to press forward, even as the organization grapples with the loss of its most visible leader and the rising risks attached to hosting conservative events on American campuses.
Why It Matters
The Old Main evacuation may have ended without tragedy, but it highlights the climate of fear that now surrounds political discourse. Just weeks after Charlie Kirk’s murder, even a harmless device was treated as a potential bomb. Universities and law enforcement are responding with zero tolerance for risk — a sign of how volatile the environment has become.
In the end, the event at Utah State University carried on, but not without a stark reminder: for TPUSA and its supporters, the path forward is being written under the shadow of both loss and heightened danger.