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A packed crowd at Utah Valley University watched horrific events unfold in real time Wednesday, as political commentator Charlie Kirk was shot at a campus speaking event and later died.

Mental health professionals urge community members struggling to cope with the events to seek out support. A vigil is planned at the Utah State Capitol this evening. And mental health services are available, including free services for students and those experiencing a mental health crisis.

Witnessing violence triggers an anxiety-like response in the brain, said Dr. Eric Monson , a psychiatrist with the University of Utah Health. But it’s not actually anxiety, he said, it’s fear.

“What’s really happening is that we are feeling

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