The family of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has accused Utah Valley University of significant security failures that they say contributed to his assassination during a campus event last year. In a legal notice filed earlier this month, Kirk’s wife, parents, and children outlined what they described as a series of lapses that made it possible for a gunman to shoot Kirk from a rooftop approximately 400 feet away.
The shooting occurred on September 10, 2025, at the university’s campus in Orem, Utah, where Kirk was participating in an outdoor debate before an audience of about 3,000 people. The event marked the first stop of Kirk’s “American comeback” tour at college campuses. Minutes into the debate, as he answered a question, Kirk was shot in the neck by Tyler J. Robinson, 23, who prosecutors say climbed to a sniper position on a nearby rooftop and fired at Kirk. Robinson has pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated murder and faces the possibility of the death penalty.
According to the legal notice, the university had no written security plan or briefing prior to the event and failed to adequately respond to warnings from Turning Point USA, the conservative activist group founded by Kirk. A Turning Point USA official had reportedly notified Jeff Long, the university’s police chief, of concerns that students could easily access building rooftops via staircases. Despite assurances from Long that these concerns were “covered,” the legal notice contends that the university neglected to implement sufficient controls or security presence to prevent the gunman’s access.
The family's attorneys argue that the absence of these measures left Kirk vulnerable to an attack they say could have been prevented, especially given heightened awareness of rooftop threats following a 2024 incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a would-be assassin fired at then-President Donald Trump from a rooftop. Surveillance footage and investigative testimony indicate that Robinson moved freely across campus and situated himself in a sniper position with little to no resistance before the shooting.
Utah Valley University issued a statement emphasizing its ongoing commitment to supporting the campus community but declined further comment on the legal notice. The institution is conducting its own review of the security procedures in place at the time of the incident.
The notice serves as a potential precursor to a wrongful death lawsuit against the public university or the state of Utah. The family’s legal team described the shooting as "entirely preventable," attributing it to what they deem "reckless decisions" by university officials. The case has drawn criticism toward the university for not adopting common public safety practices used at similar events nationwide.