OREM, Utah — Two days after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, hundreds of students who had to leave their things behind while they evacuated retrieved their belongings from investigators.
"We haven't really left our house, we didn't really know what to do with ourselves, and even just standing here on school it's bringing me a lot of anxiety,” said Payton Sinquefield, a senior at Utah Valley University.
She was at work at a neighboring building when she and her coworkers evacuated. Staff at the school told her on Friday that she and others could pick up their things.
"My wallet was in there as well, I didn’t have any of my personal belongings,” said Sinquefield.
She had left her backpack with her laptop, car keys and notebooks behind, so got them back.
"Inside of here, I have my water bottle, I have my book, I have my headphones, I have my computer, just all of the necessary things,” said Landon Cluff.
He is a freshman at UVU, and was in his ballet class when people came running in.
"The ballet class next door, they all come running into our class, just saying like, guys we need to leave right now, because a gun shot just went off and there’s a shooter at the school,” added Cluff. His phone and other things were left behind too.
The school notified students they could come by and get their things that had been kept as evidence. It's a step forward for students dealing with an assassination on their campus.
"My perspective on how quickly my life could be taken and how quickly it could end or all the amazing things that I have planned, just the reality that that could get taken away with a single push of a finger, that’s really daunting,” added Cluff.
There's also a growing memorial on campus, with flowers, flags and signs.
The school announced a phased return. Employees come back on Monday, student services start on Tuesday, and classes resume on Wednesday.
“It’s hard to believe honestly, I think it’s the last thing anyone ever thought could have happened here,” said Blake Netherton, a student at UVU. "I just truly believe it’s just wrong, for someone who truly just spoke like what they believed in.”
People are processing all the emotions that come with coming back to the scene of a horrific event.
"Definitely going to be hard to come back,” added Sinquefield
