SALT LAKE CITY — Just over two weeks ago, the University of Utah received a “swatting” hoax call of an alleged stabbing at Kahlert Village on campus.
“It's a little scary for sure, walking past Kahlert knowing that multiple times there's been said to have shooters up there,” said freshman Ava Greyson.
It turned out the call was a hoax, and other universities across Utah experienced similar situations.
“People in Kahlert had to be standing outside of their building for like two hours,” Greyson said. "It was cold.”
For some, the threats weren’t a hoax, like the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Utah Valley University’s campus back in September.
However, U of U students told FOX 13 News that after that shooting, they weren’t as scared as some might think.
“Most people probably have mixed feelings about not having intense security. I would say for me personally, yeah, I feel safe,” said sophomore Kaden Merrills.
“I felt very safe. I think one part of that is the degree of separation that it wasn't my campus,” Greyson said. "I know that it was a very targeted attack. So, the shooter wasn't there to get the students. The shooter was there specifically for one person.”
There have still been hesitations, however, to attend events with guest speakers.
“I haven't been to any since then,” Merrills said. "I feel like it's really easy to access things that could be used in the wrong way by the wrong people.”
The university’s Department of Public Safety announced new security measures coming to campus, like text message alerts that will no longer be opt-in, threat assessments for events on campus, and better coordination with private security teams for any guests on campus.
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“I think it's a good thing, because then more people will start coming out again, and it'll be a better environment in general,” Merrills said.
“Especially with all of the shooting threats that we've been getting — they've all been fake so far, but we have been getting a lot of threats, and I think that having that security is going to be good for at the very least, like, morale,” Greyson said.
There will also be a requirement for all students and employees to watch a 10-minute video on preparedness for active threats.
“I feel like it's worth it, especially if you're going to have a big crowd where that could potentially happen again, to have the proper precautions. I feel like it is a good thing,” Merrills said.
“I know that a lot of people are going to push play on that 10-minute video and then go on their phone and not actually watch it,” Greyson said. “I guess for the people who do watch, it will be useful.”
If there's one thing Greyson hopes the university focuses on, it’s better ways to prevent fake shooting threats.
“I don't know what they would do, but if there was something that, maybe some preventative measure they could take for those that would be nice. So then we're not sitting here texting our friends like, 'Hey, are you safe?'” Greyson said.
