Much has been made of the fact that only six uniformed officers and a few plainclothes officers were reportedly present at the Utah Valley University event the day Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking to a crowd on campus.
But in truth, doubling or even tripling that number would not have made a difference.
Ticket checks and metal detectors can screen attendees in the immediate area, but they cannot defend against a sniper on a rooftop 175 yards away. Preventing that type of attack requires a counter-sniper team with specialized training and substantial resources. And even then, success is not guaranteed. The July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on President Donald Trump demonstrated this reality: despite the full capabilities of the Secret Service, the shooter still came within inches of a fatal shot.
With more than 35 years as an FBI agent, U.S. Marine, and now current role as a security consultant, I can affirm that securing an outdoor event like the one where Kirk was killed is among the most difficult challenges in the field.
This is a preview of Robert D'Amico's latest column. Read the full column here.
