The family of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk accused Utah officials of failing to properly secure the campus where he was shot and killed during an event in late 2025.
Kirk, 31, was speaking to a crowd of about 3,000 people at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, when he was fatally shot by a gunman perched on the roof of a building across campus. The alleged shooter, 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other felonies in Kirk's killing.
Lawyers for Kirk's family said in a Sept. 9 legal notice that Kirk's death could have been prevented if university officials had taken adequate security measures, citing "a series of stunning failures and reckless decisions."
The notice claims officials did not hold a security
briefing or have a written security plan for the outdoor event, which was protected by only six police officers. The university also did not use other "common sense safety measures" like metal detectors, deploying drones or monitoring security footage in real time, the notice claims.
"Tragically, the UVU Parties took none of these safety measures – steps only they had the authority to take – resulting in a situation that rendered Mr. Kirk helpless before his assassin," the notice said.
The Utah attorney general's office and campus police did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Utah Valley University said it is "aware" of the notice in a statement to USA TODAY.
"UVU addresses legal matters consistent with our established processes," the university said. "Our focus remains on supporting our campus community.”
The claims echo testimony heard during Robinson's preliminary hearing in July. Chris Bagley, a former campus police officer, told defense attorney Kathy Nester he did not attend any meetings to prepare for the event. Bagley also acknowledged that there were no metal detectors screening guests or drones used for security that day.
The Kirk family's legal team said the risk of a rooftop shooter should have been "top-of-mind" given the rise in political violence, including the attempted assassination of Kirk's ally President Donald Trump in July 2024. The legal notice also claimed campus Police Chief Jeffrey Long was specifically notified about the unsecured rooftop near Kirk's event by a representative from Turning Point USA via text message.
"I got you covered," Long responded, according to the legal notice.
Kirk's family has not yet filed a wrongful death lawsuit, but the notice is a required precursor to such litigation. The notice names the state of Utah, Utah Valley University, the Utah Valley University Police Department, Long and former university President Astrid Tuminez.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlie Kirk was left 'helpless' by security failures, family alleges
