Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro has vowed to never do another outdoor appearance following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk.
“I’ve told my security team I will never again do an outdoor event,” Shapiro told Bari Weiss during an interview with The Free Press. “It’s not possible because there are too many vantage points, there are too many overlooks.”
He shared that he believes certain political figures are a target at the moment, while also questioning how public events will be facilitated in the future.
“There’s an attempt right now to basically say, if you shut up, you will be safe. And if you speak out politically, there’s a good shot that some unhinged actor is going to take that as a threat and then come and try and kill you,” Shapiro said. “We now know that people are legitimately targeting folks for death at these events. We’re going to have to contain the environment an awful lot more … I just don’t think from a safety and security point of view that’s even remotely possible anymore.”
While Shapiro noted that he plans to bump up his security and avoid outdoor settings altogether, he intends to continue his college visits.
“I’m planning on a wide variety of campuses, and I’m sure that I am not the only one this year, because if what Charlie died for means anything, it means that we have to keep actually going into these spaces and having these debates,” he said. “But it’s going to change the nature of security just the same as when it came to airports. 9/11 changed the nature of security.”
Kirk was fatally shot during a public speaking appearance at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. His suspected shooter has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
