Before conservative activist Charlie Kirk took the mic at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, 19-year-old Beck Dishman captured a 6-second video of a packed crowd of supporters in red Make America Great Again hats, waving American flags on the sunny afternoon.
Shortly after noon local time, Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of conservative youth organization Turning Point USA was shot in the neck.
Kirk, 31, died after the shooting, according to President Donald Trump and reports.
Dishman, the vice president of the university’s Turning Point USA chapter, told Raw Story in a phone interview he was standing at the back of the audience near a fountain when Kirk was shot.
“People, when you heard the shot, they just kind of trampled through the fountain. There's like a stampede,” Dishman said.
“Obviously traumatic.”
Dishman said he didn’t see Kirk get shot himself, but that his 17-year-old sister did, who was at the event with her high school.
“Just a horrific event. I pray for Charlie Kirk and pray for his family and hope they're doing okay,” Dishman said before the news of Kirk’s death was announced.
“The aftermath was just total chaos.”
Dishman said he was able to call and reunite with his sister. Everyone was evacuated from campus, and he witnessed SWAT teams on his way to a friend’s apartment near campus, Dishman said.
“We just regrouped and are just recovering a little bit,” Dishman said.
“Praying and hoping and crossing our fingers.”
Of his involvement with the school’s Turning Point student chapter, Dishman said: “Being involved in the government and in the processes that make our democracy function so well is important to me and just being able to get involved, alone, is a lot more than others in my generation are willing to do,” Dishman said.
“It comes at costs, but we can't let other people scare us.”
Caleb Chilcutt, president of the Turning Point USA chapter, declined to comment when reached by Raw Story.
Dishman sent Raw Story further comment via text message:
“TPUSA UVU has always been committed to spreading American Values,” Dishman said.
“We cherish the constitution. We cherish democracy. And we cherish our families. Today was an attack on all three. We are praying for Charlie and his family and we will never, regardless of the opposition, relent.”
