Charlie Kirk's family alleges security lapses at Utah Valley University

The family of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has filed a notice of claim against Utah Valley University and Utah officials, alleging that basic security precautions were neglected before he was fatally shot at a campus event on September 10, 2025.

The notice, a precursor to a possible wrongful-death lawsuit, describes what the family's attorneys call a series of reckless decisions that left Kirk exposed to a rooftop shooter. UVU has confirmed receipt of the notice but has not accepted the allegations, saying it will respond through established legal processes.

Kirk was speaking in an outdoor courtyard at the Orem campus before an audience of roughly 3,000 people. According to the family's account, he was shot from a rooftop more than 400 feet away. Campus police were present, with then-Chief Jeffrey Long stating that six officers worked the event alongside Kirk's eight-person private security team.

The family's central allegation concerns rooftop access. Turning Point USA, which hosted the event, had warned university police about the risks posed by nearby rooftops, according to the notice. It says Long replied to a Turning Point USA staff member by text: "I got you covered." The family alleges that, despite the warning, police did not control access to the rooftop from which Kirk was shot.

The notice also cites the absence of drone surveillance over rooftops and surrounding areas, no bag checks or metal detectors, and no secure perimeter around the gathering. It questions whether police staffing was adequate for an event of that size, arguing it fell below recommended levels.

The family places particular emphasis on the rooftop threat, pointing to the July 2024 attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, a close ally of Kirk, who was wounded by a gunman firing from a rooftop in Butler, Pennsylvania. Kirk's attorney, D. Loren Washburn, cited that attack in the notice, arguing the risk should have been especially apparent.

Beyond pre-shooting security, the notice alleges there were no first responders immediately available after Kirk was shot and that he was taken to a nearby hospital in a private vehicle rather than an ambulance. The family contends emergency medical planning should have been part of event preparations.

UVU has not publicly agreed with the family's characterization. A spokesperson, Sharon Turner, said the school is aware of the notice and will handle it through its procedures, adding that its focus remains on supporting the campus community. The Utah Attorney General's Office has declined to comment on potential litigation. The university had said after the shooting that it was expanding its police force.

The notice is an allegation and does not establish legal negligence. A court would need to weigh whether officials had a duty to take the measures identified, whether that duty was breached and whether any breach contributed to Kirk's death. The family argues better rooftop security and other precautions could have prevented the attack, a causation question that would require evidence if the case proceeds.