Renewed focus on campus security at Bay Area universities after Charlie Kirk shooting

The shooting of Charlie Kirk on a campus at Utah Valley University has colleges and universities in the Bay Area taking another look at their own security measures.�

BERKELEY, Calif. - The shooting of Charlie Kirk on a campus at Utah Valley University has colleges and universities in the Bay Area taking another look at their own security measures.

What they're saying:

"I just couldn't believe it," said UC Berkeley sophomore Meghana Dingari.

"It's really messed up to just do something like that," said UC Berkeley Junior Josh Gonzalez.

Wednesday's deadly shooting is giving Cal students pause.

"I think in general it does make it more scary to go to bigger events where there's speakers," said Dingari.

UC Berkeley leaders discuss security following Utah shooting

University leaders say they held a meeting about security Wednesday night after the shooting.

"When something like this happens, of course, you stop, you consider, and you think, is there something that we need to do differently?" said UC Berkeley Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof. "And we are making the necessary adjustments in the wake of that horrible tragedy in Utah."

Law enforcement expert weighs in

"I was surprised that roofs weren't covered," said law enforcement expert Dr. Tommy Tunson, referring to the security situation at Utah Valley University.

Tunson says this should be a teachable moment for schools in the Bay Area.

"I think that we need to really think hard about hardening the targets, make it harder for people to take out and shoot a weapon at somebody in the open," said Tunson.

Balancing speech and safety

Cal students we spoke to said it's important to find the right balance between speech and safety.

"It is an open campus, but I feel like if we could take small steps towards having a safer environment," said Dingari.

"If those things are in place then I'd be more inclined to visit speakers," said Naya, a UC Berkeley Junior.

"I think they're trying to find a fine line between overpresence and also having a safe environment. And I think it's more in the details that we all don't see," said Steve Ravellette, president of SafeBears, which advocates for Cal student safety.

University leaders say safety is their top priority, and they're constantly working with UC Berkeley Police to address security issues and protect students--while ensuring free speech is protected, too.

"Every speaker, regardless of their perspective or their identity, is welcome at UC Berkeley. It is our responsibility to ensure they can exercise their First Amendment rights, and it is our responsibility to ensure that students can invite who they wish and that those events will happen without disruption and certainly without violence," said Mogulof.

The Source: Interviews by KTVU reporter John Krinjak

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