OU Turning Point USA confirmed there will be increased security measures taken ahead of Turning Point USA’s visit to OU as part of its “The Turning Point Tour.”
Kalib Magana, OU Turning Point USA president, told OU Daily that security for the event is being modeled closely to university football games. Magana also confirmed OU’s Turning Point chapter paid for an increased OU Police Department presence at the event.
“This has already been a two-month-long process of making sure that … we have a very secure event,” Magana said.
According to a Monday, Oct. 13 Instagram post, attendees will be required to show ID and no bags will be allowed.
Magana said the event will require metal detectors upon entry. However, Magana said he did not ask the university to provide any additional security measures.
“I actually asked the university if they would do anything different,” Magana said. “They said they've already had a pretty strong record and strong system in place to accommodate such a large group of people and for political matters — so we're good.”
When asked if the university plans to make security protocol information available to the public, OU Marketing and Communications replied in a Monday email to OU Daily:
“The safety and security of our campus community is our highest priority, and we continuously review and implement measures to protect everyone who attends our events.”
In a Wednesday, Oct. 8 phone call, Magana revealed the event, which was previously scheduled to be held in McCasland Field House, would be relocated to Lloyd Noble Center.
Magana said the decision was made to accommodate over 6,000 RSVPs Turning Point USA has already received for the event. Lloyd Noble Center has a capacity of over 10,000 people, about 6,000 more seats than McCasland Field House’s 3,325 capacity.
“The Turning Point Tour” was announced on Sept. 22 to commemorate Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the organization’s founder, who was assassinated on Sept. 10 during an appearance at Utah Valley University. English comedian Russell Brand, reality star Savannah Chrisley and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt are set to appear on OU’s campus as part of the tour on Oct. 16.
Kirk was scheduled to speak at OU as part of his tour, according to a press release from Rep. Tom Cole from Sept. 22. Before Kirk’s assassination, Magana said the organization intended to host a debate table on the South Oval.
When asked what law enforcement agencies will monitor the event, OU Marketing and Communications did not answer.
Sarah Schettler, public information officer for the Norman Police Department, wrote in an email Oct. 1 that NPD is working with the university for the event.
“We are working in coordination with OUPD on safety and security plans as we typically do with most large-scale events,” Schettler wrote.
Oct. 7 event cancellation
OU Turning Point USA canceled an event scheduled on Oct. 7, the two-year mark of the war in Gaza, due to security concerns. The event would have featured Mary Karp, a Christian advocate with StandWithUs — an “Israel education organization” intended to fight antisemitism.
Magana said Karp’s team felt the event was unsafe due to a number of death threats she received on social media, forcing OU Turning Point USA to cancel the discussion.
“We did not have adequate enough security available for this event because we were not expecting any death threats or serious security concerns surrounding our speaker,” Magana said.
The organization wrote in a statement that it condemns OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. for not addressing Kirk’s assassination.
“Harroz has yet to explain why it is okay for our campus to be unsafe for conservative speakers to have discussions with those who oppose their views,” the organization wrote.
Magana said multiple death threat comments were made targeting the speaker, including two that read: “Let’s hope she gets Charlie Kirk-ed,” and “You are all next.”
Security procedures at other universities
“The Turning Point Tour” traveled to Virginia Tech University on Sept. 24, its second stop in the tour following Kirk’s assassination. Conservative political commentator Megyn Kelly and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin spoke at the event, hosted in an auditorium with a capacity of about 3,000 people.
Mark Owczarski, a Virginia Tech University spokesperson, provided the Daily with a list of security measures given to the public ahead of the event, which included:
• Guests needed a ticket and identification matching the name on the ticket.
• No backpacks, bags or purses could be brought in.
• Guests were required to walk through a metal detector before entry.
“There were no public safety issues as guests arrived for the event,” Owczarski wrote in an email to the Daily.
The tour traveled to Utah State University on Sept. 30, where guests spoke in a venue with a capacity of 5,500 people. Similar to Virginia Tech University, Utah State University also released a statement about security measures for the event.
“When they originally became aware of the event, USU’s Department of Public Safety began working with local, state and federal partners to ensure appropriate security measures would be in place in time,” the statement read.
Secure Oklahoma NOW initiative
Stitt and Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Tipton announced the creation of the Secure Oklahoma NOW initiative, which outlines new security protocols for major events.
The event safety guide serves as a statewide standard for events like concerts, parades, fairs and sporting events. According to a January press release from Stitt’s office, the guide emphasizes proactive threat assessment, interagency communication and coordination across law enforcement, fire and emergency management agencies.
On Sept. 30, Oklahoma Rep. Mark Lepak (R-Claremore) announced he will host an interim study to review the report from the Secure Oklahoma NOW task force, using Kirk’s assassination as an example to assess the tool’s effectiveness.
According to a press release, the study will focus on applying security protocols developed by the task force. The press release cited Kirk’s assassination as the most recent high-profile event that could help assess and improve Oklahoma’s preparedness against threats.
"While that tragic event was not anticipated at the time this topic was requested, it provides a vivid case study that should prove instructive," Lepak said, according to the press release. "I hope that this study will provide a public platform to promote the use of these protocols for any event where the public will gather."
The House Public Safety Committee heard the interim study on Oct. 15 at the Oklahoma State Capitol.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza, Thomas Pablo and Anusha Fathepure. Hannah Lambert and Avery Avery copy edited this story.
