Code for handling events looks like this(requested):

void gameEngine::HandleEvents()
{
    if( SDL_PollEvent(&gameEvent) != 0 )
    {
        HandleEngineEvents();
        gameLevel.HandleEvents(gameEvent);
    }
}

HandleEngineEvents() :

void gameEngine::HandleEngineEvents()
{
    if( gameEvent.type == SDL_QUIT)
    {
        running = false;
    }
    else if( gameEvent.type == SDL_KEYDOWN && gameEvent.key.repeat == 0 )
    {
        if( gameEvent.key.keysym.sym == SDLK_ESCAPE )
        {
            running = false;
        }
    }
}

Level::HandleEvents() :

void Level::HandleEvents(SDL_Event& gameEvent)
{
    player.HandleEvents(gameEvent);
}

Player::HandleEvents() :

void Player::HandleEvents(SDL_Event& gameEvent)
{
    if(gameEvent.type == SDL_KEYDOWN && gameEvent.key.repeat == 0)
    {
        switch(gameEvent.key.keysym.sym)
        {
        case SDLK_RIGHT:
             velocity += 1;
            break;
        case SDLK_LEFT:
            velocity -= 1;
            break;
        default:
            break;
        }
    }
    else if(gameEvent.type == SDL_KEYUP && gameEvent.key.repeat == 0)
    {
        switch(gameEvent.key.keysym.sym)
        {
        case SDLK_RIGHT:
             velocity -= 1;
            break;
        case SDLK_LEFT:
            velocity += 1;
            break;
        default:
            break;
        }
    }
}