Over 800 runners gather in Salt Lake City for fifth annual campus safety event

More than 800 people participated in the fifth annual Run for Campus Safety at the McCarthy Family Track and Field Complex in Salt Lake City on Saturday.

The gathering marked the highest attendance recorded for the event, which is held in memory of Lauren McCluskey, a University of Utah student-athlete killed on campus on October 22, 2018.

Jill McCluskey, Lauren's mother, attended the race alongside several of her daughter's former teammates. She described the return to the track as a source of both memory and community support.

“It always brings back so many memories of Lauren running on this track,” Jill McCluskey said. “And we've always been overwhelmed by the community support. We're inspired just to see the change that is happening.”

The event is supported by the Lauren McCluskey Foundation, which advocates for institutions to believe and support individuals who report harassment or abuse. This mission stems directly from the circumstances of McCluskey's death.

In the years following the shooting, the University of Utah faced legal scrutiny regarding its handling of reports made by McCluskey. The family reached multimillion-dollar settlements with the university, which acknowledged failures in its response to the stalking and attempted extortion that preceded the fatal shooting.

Keith Squires, the university's chief safety officer, stated that the department has undergone substantial changes since his initial independent review of the incident. He noted shifts in personnel, culture, and institutional commitment to safety.

“This is a completely different department here than we had before,” Squires said. He added that the team continues to work on new safety initiatives while keeping McCluskey in their thoughts.

A key part of the university's current strategy is the Lauren Promise, an initiative that encourages staff and students to believe those who come forward for help. Student Brittany Ramirez said she hears the message frequently from professors and sorority members.

“I see my professors saying it all the time, and just in my sorority it's around, it's everywhere,” Ramirez said. “I like how much of a difference it's making. I think it's a really good change that's happening on campus.”

Participants in Saturday's run held signs with messages about believing victims and taking dating violence seriously. Squires described the event as a way to transform the tragedy into a positive force for campus safety.