SunTrapp boosts security after Kirk shooting
An LGBTQ+ bar in Salt Lake City has stepped up its security following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, about 30 miles south of the city.
The SunTrapp announced on its Facebook page hours after the September 10 shooting that it would “escalate [its] security presence and increase onsite security,” including hiring a specialized armed security team. The post also noted that Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and the Salt Lake City Police Department had been contacted about the bar’s concerns.
Owner Mary Peterson told Ed Walsh at the Bay Area Reporter that the bar had received calls from nervous patrons after Kirk’s death. In response, she said, she added three extra security staff members on weekends and one additional guard during the week.
The following day, the bar sought to dispel rumors circulating online. “We want to address a false rumor circulating that SunTrapp has received death threats since yesterday’s events at UVU,” the bar posted on September 11. “This is untrue, and there is no immediate cause for concern. Our team is operating safely and securely as usual. All scheduled programs and events will continue as planned.”
Other LGBTQ spaces in the city responded with varying levels of caution. Kaitlyn Mahoney, owner of the queer-focused bookstore Under the Umbrella, said she had not received threats but worried the shooting could ripple through the community. She said her response has focused on additional staff training rather than added security.
Club Try-Angles has made it a policy since the Colorado Springs shooting in November 2022 to not allow backpacks ito the building.
Milk+ Nightclub has had metal detectors at the entrance since it was opened.
Salt Lake City has a reputation as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the Mountain West. The city elected Jackie Biskupski, Utah’s first openly gay mayor, in 2015. Today, the city council has an LGBTQ majority, and the city earned a score of 96 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2024 Municipal Equality Index.
Mayor Mendenhall, a vocal LGBTQ ally, condemned the violence on social media shortly after the shooting. “The horrific act of violence against Charlie Kirk at UVU this afternoon is abhorrent and un-American. There is no place for political violence in our society,” she wrote.
Authorities say Tyler Robinson, 22, surrendered to police after his father encouraged him to turn himself in. Kirk, 31, was shot while addressing an outdoor audience during his “American Comeback Tour” stop at UVU.
Kirk was widely known for his opposition to LGBTQ+ and, especially, transgender rights. His organization, Turning Point USA, organized rallies against gender-affirming care, and in 2024, he compared doctors providing that care to Nazi perpetrators, according to Reuters. He frequently described transgender rights as “against natural law” and “a middle finger to God,” as captured in a 2023 speech posted by Right Wing Watch.
Earlier this year, Kirk appeared as the first guest on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s podcast, where the two agreed on limiting transgender women’s participation in women’s sports.
The shooting has left LGBTQ businesses and community members weighing both safety concerns and the importance of keeping queer spaces open. As Peterson put it, security at SunTrapp has been heightened, but “all programs and events will continue as planned.”
