Following a tragic shooting at a campus event in Utah, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for urgent action on gun control, criticizing what she described as years of congressional inaction. Speaking to reporters outside the Capitol, she said, “Beyond rhetoric, we need action.
Every single day people are dying due to gun violence in America, and every single day, there are people in this building who continue to vote against doing anything.” The incident occurred just after noon during a scheduled speaking event at Utah Valley University, according to a statement from school officials.
Shots were fired from a building roughly 200 yards away, striking the guest speaker. The victim was immediately taken away by security personnel, and the campus was placed on lockdown. Police later confirmed that multiple suspects were briefly detained but released when determined not to be involved. The shooter remains at large.
Witness video captured the speaker addressing the crowd moments before the gunfire. The footage shows the speaker answering questions when a loud pop is heard, followed by visible distress as security rushed to assist. Leaders from across the political spectrum quickly condemned the attack. Several lawmakers urged prayers for the victim, while others highlighted the need to address rising political violence. Utah officials confirmed that campus police and federal authorities are continuing the investigation and have stepped up security around similar events in the coming weeks.
